Five Departments Battle Mt. Vernon Fire, Some School Bus Routes Changed
By: Tabnie Dozier
Updated: February 27, 2013
UPDATE:
A Mount Vernon business suffers major damage after a fire rips through one of it's buildings and changed some of the school district's bus routes. Crews responded to the Posey County Farm Bureau Co-Op on the 800 block of West Fourth around 6:30 Wednesday morning. Many water tankers were needed and parts of Fourth and Fifth street shut down for more than four hours. The fire started here in a metal storage, this is where Posey County Farm Bureau keeps its farm equipment, crop dusters and a few propane tanks. Multiple crews were needed to battle these flames. Fire officials say the majority of this building is okay but the storage is a loss. In both directions of the business, there's West Elementary, and Mount Vernon Junior and Senior High. "I know they have other priorities, they have priorities with that fire, safety but then they notified us very quickly because they know where we are as far as moving students," says Superintendent Dr. Tom Kopatich. Fire crews alerted nearby schools about the flames and road closures. Dr. Kopatich says some of his buses switched gears to plan B. "In that certain area where they blocked off the roads, we had to adjust. All of our students were able to be picked up, everything went fine we just have our alternate routes that we go to," he adds. Third, Second and other streets were used, but school still started at its normal time. Kopatich says it was pretty difficult to ignore this massive smoke, "As a precaution, we turned off the air handlers as West Elementary and the Junior and Senior High School cause of the smoke, that was cleared out by a quarter to eight, before school even started." The actual farm bureau building is okay and school officials say the day went on as planned, thanks to communication and teamwork between the city and the school district. The Indiana State Fire Marshall is here to help with the investigation to determine what sparked this fire. No one was injured.
PREVIOUS REPORT:
At least five fire departments in Posey County helped battle a business fire Wednesday morning. Crews were sent to the Posey County Farm Bureau in Mount Vernon around 7:00a.m., where a metal storage building behind the store had caught on fire. The building is where the company keeps its equipment, propane tanks and other items. Small explosions were reported, but no one was injured. The Indiana State Fire Marshal is now helping with the investigation, but there is no word yet on a cause. Coming up tonight on Eyewitness News First at Four, find out how the Mount Vernon School District had to deal with closed roads while trying to get students to school on time.
A Mount Vernon business suffers major damage after a fire rips through one of it's buildings and changed some of the school district's bus routes. Crews responded to the Posey County Farm Bureau Co-Op on the 800 block of West Fourth around 6:30 Wednesday morning. Many water tankers were needed and parts of Fourth and Fifth street shut down for more than four hours. The fire started here in a metal storage, this is where Posey County Farm Bureau keeps its farm equipment, crop dusters and a few propane tanks. Multiple crews were needed to battle these flames. Fire officials say the majority of this building is okay but the storage is a loss. In both directions of the business, there's West Elementary, and Mount Vernon Junior and Senior High. "I know they have other priorities, they have priorities with that fire, safety but then they notified us very quickly because they know where we are as far as moving students," says Superintendent Dr. Tom Kopatich. Fire crews alerted nearby schools about the flames and road closures. Dr. Kopatich says some of his buses switched gears to plan B. "In that certain area where they blocked off the roads, we had to adjust. All of our students were able to be picked up, everything went fine we just have our alternate routes that we go to," he adds. Third, Second and other streets were used, but school still started at its normal time. Kopatich says it was pretty difficult to ignore this massive smoke, "As a precaution, we turned off the air handlers as West Elementary and the Junior and Senior High School cause of the smoke, that was cleared out by a quarter to eight, before school even started." The actual farm bureau building is okay and school officials say the day went on as planned, thanks to communication and teamwork between the city and the school district. The Indiana State Fire Marshall is here to help with the investigation to determine what sparked this fire. No one was injured.
PREVIOUS REPORT:
At least five fire departments in Posey County helped battle a business fire Wednesday morning. Crews were sent to the Posey County Farm Bureau in Mount Vernon around 7:00a.m., where a metal storage building behind the store had caught on fire. The building is where the company keeps its equipment, propane tanks and other items. Small explosions were reported, but no one was injured. The Indiana State Fire Marshal is now helping with the investigation, but there is no word yet on a cause. Coming up tonight on Eyewitness News First at Four, find out how the Mount Vernon School District had to deal with closed roads while trying to get students to school on time.
