Update - Hastings Structure Fire At Thermo King

(Hastings, NE) - Hastings Fire & Rescue responded to a structure fire on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at Thermo King, 1800 Centennial Ave. Firefighters were dispatched around 7 p.m., and the fire was under control about 45 minutes later. Firefighters were called to a fire at the exhaust stack on the roof. When firefighters arrived, they were directed by staff to the paint booth area.

Firefighters found an active fire in the roofline in and around the air handling unit. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are under investigation. No injuries were reported. Thermo King night staff members were evacuated and sent home due to the firefighting activities.

 Hastings Rural Volunteer Fire Department provided mutual aid. Hastings Utilities disconnected services. The Hastings Police Department also responded to the
incident.

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Afternoon Update 

The fire occurred near the ventilation system for an industrial powder coating booth, and has been classified as an unintentional fire.

This fire happened as a result of an equipment malfunction earlier in the day which dislodged combustible roofing materials, allowing them to come into contact with a boiler vent stack. These combustible roofing materials experienced prolonged heat and eventually ignited, causing an estimated $20,000 in damage to the roof and ventilation unit.

Thermo King employees provided extensive assistance to Hastings Fire & Rescue through assisting with indoor lifting equipment and  in shutting down various pieces of equipment to ensure firefighter safety.

“Industrial fires provide a unique opportunity for subject matter experts in industry and the fire service to work together on problem solving in an emergency situation. We’re grateful for the quick actions of Thermo King staff in responding to the fire and calling 9-1-1 to get fire department resources coming,” Anthony Murphy, Risk Reduction Officer with Hastings Fire & Rescue.