Somerset County concrete business damaged in blaze; one firefighter treated for exhaustion at hospital, officials report

Mar. 3—SIPESVILLE — A Somerset County concrete business sustained heavy damage in a fire that began late Monday night, but the manufacturing space of the Bakersville Edie Road building was spared, fire officials said.

Chief Jim Livingston, of Sipesville Volunteer Fire Company, said crews pulled into the lot at Eagle Concrete Products just after 11:20 p.m. to find smoke and a wave of flames already pouring from the windows of the steel building's office section.

With eight area departments assisting, the firefighters went to an "aggressive" attack from one end of the building, Livingston said. Nearby, firefighters used a chainsaw-style cutting tool with a specialized blade to cut through a section of Eagle Concrete's steel roof to vent out the intense heat and smoke.

"With it being a steel building, there was a lot of heat built up in there," he said. "We were able to knock (the fire) down in about an hour ... but there were a lot of areas we had to hit to make sure it didn't spark back up."

One firefighter from a neighboring department was taken to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown. Somerset County 911 officials said that the firefighter was transported for exhaustion.

Crews were able to clear the scene by 8 a.m.

Firefighters from Jennerstown, Acosta, Bakersville, Friedens, Somerset and Stoystown assisted Sipesville at the scene, and Somerset and Boswell EMS units also responded, county 911 officials said.

Livingston said the buildling is insured.

A state police fire marshal was investigating the fire Tuesday, and the cause has not yet been determined, he added.