State fire marshal’s office joins investigation into Ohio 101 fire – The News-Messenger

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The Sandusky County Sheriff's Office and Ohio State Fire Marshal's Office are investigating Wednesday's fire at Keegan Enterprises on Ohio 101. Firefighters from 17 departments were called in to contain the blaze.(Photo: Daniel Carson/The News-Messenger)

TOWNSEND TOWNSHIP - Russ Zimmerman has been involved with firefighting for 52 years.

The Lindsey Volunteer Fire Department chief said he's never seen anything like Wednesday's fire at Keegan Enterprises on Ohio 101, with billowing black smoke that could seen for miles across Sandusky and Erie counties.

"That looked like an oil refinery fire in Texas," Zimmerman said.

Firefighters from 17 local departments, including Lindsey's,were called to put out Wednesday's fire at Keegan Enterprises on Ohio 101.

Now, the state fire marshal's office has joined the investigation, Sheriff Chris Hilton said.

"We're kind of looking into it jointly," Hilton said Thursday.

Hilton saidthe fire broke out at Keegan Enterprises, in the 7400 block of Ohio 101, around 4 p.m.

Firefighters from 17 local departments battled a pallet fire at Keegan Enterprises Wednesday. Police closed off Ohio 101 for several hours as firefighters attempted to contain the blaze.(Photo: Daniel Carson/The News-Messenger)

He said two people left the business around 3:30 p.m. and then the fire started 25 to 30 minutes later.

Neighbors said the blaze started toward the back of the business' property and quickly accelerated.

Hilton said wood and plastic pellets, as well as cardboard, went up in flames as black smoke filled the air.

Zimmerman said the property's plastic materials generated the ominous black smoke from the fire.

He said it was about 8 p.m. before the fire was what he considered "manageable."

"It took three or four hours before the guys could take a breath," Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman said there was some damage to a field just east of the Keegan property, but the fire did not spread to any of the adjacent mobile homes.

Pallets and cardboard at Keegan Enterprises on Ohio 101 caught on fire Wednesday, causing extensive damage to the property and sending black smoke into the air.(Photo: Daniel Carson/The News-Messenger)

The Ohio Highway Patrol closed off Ohio 101 near the Keegan property for several hours to allow fire trucks to access the site and drop off water for fire crews battling the blaze.

By around 10 p.m. Wednesday, the fire was contained with no threat of spreading to neighboring properties, Hilton said.

He said the fire wasn't completely put out until Thursday morning.

Motorists driving west on Ohio 101 in Erie County and past the Keegan property Thursday around 9 a.m. could still see black smoke in the sky left over from the fire.

Hilton said there were was one minor injury to a firefighter who strained his back.

The sheriff said he did not have an estimate on how much property damage there was at the Keegan Enterprises site.

He praised the collaboration between departments in containing the fire.

"It was awesome to see them work together and get it done," Hilton said.

Firefighters from 17 departments helped to battle a towering fire at Keegan Enterprises Wednesday near the intersection of Ohio 101 and Ohio 412. The fire was finally put out Thursday morning, according to Sandusky County Sheriff Chris Hilton.(Photo: Daniel Carson/The News-Messenger)

dacarson@gannett.com

419-334-1046

Twitter: @DanielCarson7

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State fire marshal's office joins investigation into Ohio 101 fire - The News-Messenger