AFD Chief: Fire damage not a big surprise

By Joe Gorman

jgorman@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

Township fire Chief Andy Frost said Friday amid the smoke of a fully engulfed building at Mahoning Avenue and Four Mile Run Road that the heavy damage was not a surprise.

Frost said he wanted the buildiing at 3796 Mahoning Ave. either remodeled or torn down because of the hazard it posed. Friday, it burst into flames about 8:45 a.m. and quickly spread out of control.

Cardboard stored inside and other factors contributed to the rapid spread of flames, Frost said.

“We were kind of expecting it, to be honest with you,” Frost said.

Frost said the building was used for storage, and a man who lived there noticed a fire in his bathroom. He called 911 and got out immediately, Frost said.

Besides the cardboard for fuel, plenty of air also fanned the flames because the building is so old it has a lot of gaps to allow air inside, Frost said.

Clouds of smoke belched from the building and could be seen for miles. They also drifted west up Mahoning Avenue, creating visibility problems.

Crews from Youngstown, Weathersfield and Canfield assisted, and the Boardman and Jackson departments were on standby to respond to any other fires in the township, Frost said.

Because the fire spread so rapidly and got inside the walls once it got out of control, firefighters had to fight it through the roof, Frost said. He said firefighting efforts improved once they were able to get better access through the roof for the fire.

Crews did a quick search once they arrived before backing out because of the intensity of the flames, Frost said.

“We went defensive,” he said. “We were ready for it to come out through the roof. It wasn’t worth putting our people in.”

A cause is not yet known, but Frost said he does not believe it is suspicious. He said a full investigation will be done.