WEBVTT
X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:0
00:00.009 –> 00:04.480
A fire at a Pennsylvania plant owned by
hardwood lumber producer Weber broke out on the
00:04.480 –> 00:08.739
night of September 8th, reportedly requiring
more than 1 million gallons of water to contain.
00:08.840 –> 00:13.479
Fox 43 reported that firefighters arrived at
the 84-year-old company’s headquarters in
00:13.479 –> 00:17.030
Lebanon around 9:10 p.m.
The station later noted that all first
00:17.030 –> 00:19.909
responders had left the scene by 8:45 a.m.
The following morning,
00:20.079 –> 00:24.120
with the building still under a controlled burn.
Reports confirmed that no injuries occurred and
00:24.120 –> 00:27.719
that a maintenance worker inside at the time of
the fire had safely evacuated.
00:28.040 –> 00:30.020
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
00:30.229 –> 00:34.029
WGAL News Eight cited Lawn Fire Company chief
Dylan Wilson,
00:34.229 –> 00:38.150
who said he believes the site may contain the
most combustible materials in a single building
00:38.150 –> 00:40.869
in the state.
Wilson added that he expects the building to
00:40.869 –> 00:44.869
continue burning for days while crews try to
contain the fire within the structure’s walls.
00:44.990 –> 00:49.540
The incident marks the latest in a series of
fires at Weber reported by WGAL News 8,
00:49.950 –> 00:54.053
including one in May,
one in 2021, one in 2017,
00:54.173 –> 00:58.662
two in 2016, and two in 2015.
The fire also comes about a month after Weber
00:58.662 –> 01:00.873
filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
01:01.083 –> 01:05.383
News site Webtown reported that a company
spokesperson described the filing as part of
01:05.383 –> 01:08.943
the company’s restructuring plans and that
Weber had intended to continue its current
01:08.943 –> 01:10.733
business operations throughout the process.
01:11.023 –> 01:13.583
Weber’s bankruptcy petition listed its 20
largest
01:13.706 –> 01:17.166
unsecured creditors, which totaled
approximately $4.4 million.
01:17.295 –> 01:21.295
A few weeks before the bankruptcy announcement,
Weber posted a WARN notice that revealed plans
01:21.295 –> 01:24.896
to lay off 145 workers at its Lebanon
distribution center.
01:25.096 –> 01:27.125
The layoffs were scheduled to end on September
9th.
01:27.335 –> 01:31.055
Lebtown reported that the company had planned
to close the distribution center and
01:31.055 –> 01:34.125
consolidate operations at the plant that
recently caught fire.
01:34.405 –> 01:36.405
I’m Nolan Bilestein.
This is Manufacturing Now.