Cause of Howland fire as yet undetermined
HOWLAND — Assistant Fire Chief Tim Thomas says the cause of a weekend blaze that resulted in an estimated $200,000 damage won’t be known until today.
Thomas said Monday the early morning Sunday fire at Storage Zone, 3055 North River Road N.E., is being investigated by the township fire department and state fire marshal’s office.
Thomas said that a can of fuel used to start the first hasn’t been found, but that officials found a fence with a loosened bottomwhere an arsonist could have crawled underto enter and leave the property.
Fires were started at two of the 18 to 20 large storage buildings.
Township firefighters were first called to the three-alarm blaze at 4:54 a.m. They were joined by firefighters from Bazetta, Champion and Vienna townships, Cortland city and Youngstown Air Force Reserve Station, Vienna.
Twenty-eight storage units in the two buildings were heavily damaged, the assistant chief said. Flames may have spread further if there weren’t fire walls in each building, he added.
Conditions fighting the blaze, Thomas said, were “extremely hazardous,” because of slippery conditions. Road department trucks were called in to spread salt in the area. He said a number of firefighters fell, including one who suffered a shoulder injury.