Defense Plant Flash Fire Reported in Massachusetts

Sprinklers extinguished a flash fire shortly before noon Tuesday at a Massachusetts company specializing in microwave and RF absorbing materials for the military.

Amesbury Fire Chief Ken Berkenbush told The Daily News that sprinklers at Arc Technologies in Amesbury put out flames after the initial flash, eliminating any work for the firefighters.

The newspaper reports that the fire took place as workers were transferring the contents of one container into another. One worker suffered minor injuries.

A regional hazardous materials team responded to the plant and conducted an inspection before declaring it safe. A mutual aid alarm brought firefighters from Newburyport, Newbury, Salisbury, West Newbury and several New Hampshire communities.

While staffing Amesbury fire stations emptied by the fire, mutual aid responders dealt with five local medical calls.