ORANGE TOWNSHIP, COLUMBIA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Crews responded to the scene of a second alarm commercial structure fire in Columbia County on Thursday.
Officials say fire departments responded to the report of a working commercial structure fire at the Hess Market on SR 487 around 10 a.m. Thursday morning. At some point during the fire, they said the fire spread to the Hess Do It Center next door.
Orangeville Fire Chief Kevin Boyd tells Eyewitness News it took around seven hours to get the fire out and clear the scene.
Chief Boyd says the fire was difficult to put out due to water issues. The nearest water source was about a quarter to half mile away from the fire so first responders needed to bring tankers to the scene.
According to the Columbia County Communications Center, 15 fire departments responded to the fire, most of which Chief Boyd said were called for their tankers.
No one was injured in the fire. Customers, employees, and first responders all made it out of the fire safely. When first responders arrived on the scene, all customers had made it out of the buildings.
A fire marshal is currently on the scene determining the exact cause of the fire. Chief Boyd said first responders determined the fire began near an electrical panel so they believe the fire’s cause was electrical in nature.
Both buildings are considered a 100% loss.
