FORT RECOVERY — Firefighters from multiple fire departments were called to the scene of a business fire in Mercer County that started late Saturday afternoon.
>>PHOTOS: Firefighters remain on scene of business fire in Mercer County
Firefighters and medics were dispatched around 5:15 p.m. on initial reports of a fire at JR Manufacturing at the 900 block of Industrial Drive in Fort Recovery, according to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office.
The business makes automotive seating components with their main products being headrests and seat frames, according to their website.
The sheriff’s office told News Center 7 several fire units are providing mutual aid and could not give any details.
Images from an iWitness7 viewer show significant damage to the building and several fire departments on scene.
>>PHOTOS: Multiple fire departments on scene of business fire in Mercer County
News Center 7′s Taylor Robertson says fire trucks from multiple fire trucks drove past her and her photographer as they were heading to the scene.
Robertson said the plume of smoke can be seen from at least a mile away.
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Several fire departments from Darke County including Rossburg, Union City and Versailles have been sent to provide mutual aid, the Darke County Sheriff’s office confirmed to News Center 7.
The Auglaize County Sheriff’s office says the New Bremen and Minster Fire Departments also sent tankers.
Village residents were directed to avoid the area to allow for unhindered firefighter operations, a spokesperson for the Village of Fort Recovery wrote in a Facebook post.
For residents who resided near the fire, they were directed to “take precautions,” the spokesperson said. Although the smoke was not dangerous, residents were told to treat the fire like an industrial fire.
Fire crews cleared the scene of the fire just before 5 a.m. Sunday morning, according to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office.
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News Center 7 is still working to learn how this fire started.
We will continue to provide updates on this developing story.
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