Firefighters Battle Hot Spots in Amherst Industrial Fire

A fire that broke out July 20 at Premium PPE in Amherst, New York, is under control but firefighters still battle hot spots.

East-Transit Fire Chief Brad Sprague told reporters it was one of the largest fires he has seen in his career.

“The fire was brought under control overnight and we’re just starting the investigation phase at this point,” Sprague said. “The industrial hazards that we were concerned about have been mitigated. We are doing monitoring with the DEC and state agencies to make sure there are no hazards that come up.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation. There were no injuries reported in the fire. Sprague did not identify all the industrial hazards but said there was a concern about how some chemicals would have mixed with water.

The building contained personal protective equipment like masks, gloves, and hospital scrubs.

Hundreds of firefighters battled the warehouse fire while approximately 50 different resources were used. Tanker trucks were brought in from the southern tier and the state offered resources like a hazmat team, water suppression, and foam suppression.