Electrical Fire Shuts Down Pennsylvania Tire Factory

A compressor room fire Monday is expected to shut down production at a Pennsylvania tire plant for several weeks.

Electrical wiring throughout the plant in Indiana, Pennsylvania, was damaged when fire broke out in an electrical panel serving the main manufacturing building, a company spokesperson said.

Workers battled the fire using dry chemical extinguishers until firefighters could arrive, CFO Ken Brocious told the Indiana Gazette.

“We think there will be minimal impact on our customer base,” Brocious said.

Finished tires are kept in another part of the manufacturing complex and did not fuel the fire.

Founded in 1915, Specialty Tires of America manufactures radial and bias-ply pneumatic tires used in agriculture, aircraft, and other fields.

No injuries were reported in the emergency.

For safety reasons, firefighters waited until power was cut before entering the building. Large ventilation fans were used to push smoke out of the smokey structure.

A mutual aid request brought firefighters from six nearby communities.