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Massena warehouse containing Curran wood pellets burns down; excavator used to knock walls down to put fire out, fire chief says

Posted 11/4/17

Updated 1 p.m. Nov. 6 to include details of fireman who died after returning home from fighting the fire. MASSENA -- A fire Friday night at a Curran Renewable Energy warehouse in the Industrial Park …

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Massena warehouse containing Curran wood pellets burns down; excavator used to knock walls down to put fire out, fire chief says

Posted

Updated 1 p.m. Nov. 6 to include details of fireman who died after returning home from fighting the fire.

MASSENA -- A fire Friday night at a Curran Renewable Energy warehouse in the Industrial Park is considered a total loss, according to Massena Fire Chief Bill Kearns.

Nearly 90 firefighters from 7 local fire departments battled the massive blaze, he said.

To watch videos of firefighers battling the fire, click here and here.

"It took the manpower from all of those departments to put out this industrial fire," Kearns said. "It was a long night."

The warehouse contained wood pellets, Kearns said.

Kearns said walls were ripped down with an excavator so firefighters could get to the flame and extinguish the fire.

"I haven't been down there in a few hours but I am sure it is still smoldering -- we may get called back down there," he said.

Firefighters were on scene until day break, Kearns said.

The cause of the fire is unknown at the time and Kearns said it may never be known what the cause was.

"Luckily there were no injuries ... that's the best part about it all," he said.

After Kearns made that remark, fire officials said a Brasher-Winthrop fireman died after returning home from fighting the fire. Details about that are here.

The fire was discovered by a state police officer and reported at 9:19 p.m., Kearns said.

Firefighters from Massena, Louisville, Norfolk, Helena, Hogansburg, Brasher-Winthrop and West Stockholm responded to the scene.

Also on scene were law enforcement, St. Lawrence Gas, and rescue personnel.

"Hats off to all the local firefighters and entities for their response," Kearns said.