Fire destroys Bursey Manufacturing plant in CBS
By Mark Squibb
Firefighters were able to make short work of a blaze that tore through Bursey’s Manufacturing Plant in Long Pond, CBS last Monday evening.
CBS Fire Chief John Heffernan said the department received it’s first call at 6:59 p.m.
“Initially we received a call from 911 stating that someone could see flames in the area of Bursey Manufacturing,” said Heffernan. “Lots of times those things happen, and it could be someone having a backyard fire, or any number of things. But within two minutes we had another 911 call from our central dispatch to say they were receiving multiple calls. So, we knew immediately that something significant was going on.”
When crews arrived on scene, flames were already shooting through the roof of the plant. Heffernan said that’s typically a sign the fire has advanced significantly within the building.
Some 19 firefighters from CBS, seven paid and 12 volunteers, attended the scene. Four members of St. John’s Regional, along with an aerial ladder truck, were called in to combat flames on the roof.
“Commercial structure fires of that scale and scope are, luckily, very infrequent,” said Heffernan, “But there certainly are a lot of commercial-industrial structures within Conception Bay South.”
High prevailing winds made battling the blaze even more difficult. The Oakes Lane property also backs onto Conception Bay, making the battle even more challenging. The presence of oxygen cylinders and propane tanks on the property were also a concern. Still, crews were able to extinguish the flames just before midnight. No injuries were reported, and no one was believed to have been inside the building at the time of the blaze.
“Despite the significant loss of property, luckily there were no serious injuries or fatalities,” said Heffernan. “That’s always what’s most important.”
Bursey’s, a mainstay in CBS since it’s incorporation in 1991, could not be reached for comment ahead of print deadline.
The company produces storage tanks, metal fabrications, and custom fire pits, among other products.