A passing motorist is credited with averting major damage at a Uniontown business Thursday night.
According to Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Greg Schepman noticed smoke coming from the back of a storage building at Canary Outdoor Power Equipment on State Road 250.
The Crothersville-Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department was summoned shortly after 8 p.m.
Local Fire Chief Ben Spencer was the first to arrive on the scene a short time.
“I was heading home on I-65 and was about a mile from Uniontown when we got toned out. When I got to the scene there was heavy smoke coming from the south side of the concrete block building,” he said, adding that he quickly sought the mutual aid assistance form Jackson-Washington and Jennings Township (Austin) fire departments.
He said local firefighters were able to get inside and quickly knock down the blaze.
The cause of the fire is undetermined, but it could possibly be electrical, Spencer said. The back workshop area of the building, that included an electrical panel, was destroyed by the fire.
The business is owned by Aaron & Kendra Knieriem of Crothersville. The building is used by the business as storage and equipment warehouse. About 40 pieces of equipment were in the building, Spencer said. The business’ main show room was not affected by the blaze.
The business was able to open Friday morning but structural repairs will have to be made to the warehouse building because the ceiling was sagging on the south end, Spencer said
The fire chief estimated 40 firefighters were at the scene from the three departments. No one was injured in the incident. No estimate of damage was available.
Spencer said this was his department’s sixth fire in two weeks. Three were in their general response area, and the other three were for mutual aid.
