Fire Chief Joseph Schutte said the fire originated in the beams supporting the second floor and burned through the floor and into the ground level.
Deputy Chief Troy Pugh said the cause of the fire has not been confirmed, but it appears to have started due to heat and sparks from welding torches contractors were using Saturday to remove machinery from the building.
“Auctioneers came in this morning and saw heavy smoke,” Pugh said.
Schutte said responding crews encountered heavy smoke and had to pry open the metal flooring to reach part of the fire between the floorboards. Firefighters were on scene about three hours.
“We had to ventilate quite a bit and we got to the fire thankfully pretty quick,” Schutte said.
Damages are estimated at $20,000 and include the floor beams, smoke damage, a few broken windows and a hole in the roof made to ventilate the smoke.
Five engines, an aerial truck and one medical squad from Hamilton responded, Schutte said, as well as mutual aid from Hanover Twp. for air supply. No injuries were reported.
Hillary Stevenson, deputy city manager, said the fire should have little impact on the future re-use of the building.
Stevenson said the city is awaiting proposals on re-use from interested parties.
“The building is still occupied by auctioneers and companies who bought equipment,” Stevenson said. “We don’t have specific plans for re-use.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2179 or Hannah.Poturalski@coxinc.com.
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