SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2006 — Lancaster City firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze that destroyed a vacant factory building near the 200 block of Hazel Street in Lancaster City.

Firefighters were dispatched at 8:04 p.m. to a commercial building fire in the area of Prince and Hazel Streets.

Numerous callers were reporting heavy smoke and flames coming from a factory building in the 200 block of Hazel Street.

By the time officials arrived the building was blazing out of control.

Arriving firefighters found flames spreading through a three-story building, which resembled a tobacco warehouse.

“When we got there, the building was well involved, all three floors had a lot of thick smoke,” said Chief Brian Klugh.

Two additional alarms were immediately requested to bring additional manpower to the scene from off duty shifts.

For more than an hour, raging flames, billowing smoke, and hot embers roared from the top and sides of the building. Heat was intense, and the smoke could be smelled for blocks.

Firefighters protected a nearby building that houses Brookshire Printing at 200 Hazel Street. The printing company was 50 feet from the burning building and sustained minimal damage to the exterior electrical fixtures.

Getting enough water to battle the blaze was a problem the firefighters had to solve quickly.

“We had some water supply problems but we got to it fast kept it from spreading, so we had time to establish good water supply,” said Klugh

A large crowd of curious onlookers gathered along Hazel Street to view the burning building that quickly became a large ball of fire.

Witness said the fire, which was blazing around 8 p.m., could be seen for miles. Residents nearby said they had never seen anything like it.

“When I took a look out the window from the top, I just saw a big fiery building,” said Edgar Pantojas, a resident who lives near the building.

Firefighters searched the area for flying embers making sure none fell on other structures, causing more fires.

Firefighters used two ladder trucks with elevated masterstreams to fight the blaze which was declared under control at 9:34 p.m. Firefighters remained at the scene throughout the night and continued into the next afternoon checking for remaining hot spots.

A trackhoe was brought in to demolish the burned out shell of the building that was unsafe.

The burning building measured about 70-by-70-feet. It was once a factory, but had been vacant for some time. It was last used by a trucking firm to store parts, fire officials said.

The building was once used to house parts for Martin and Sons Trucking, but has been vacant for years.

Neighbors said homeless people sometimes stay there, but firefighters have yet to enter the building to search for people.

The fire's cause remains under investigation. Lancaster City fire officials and fire marshals met the next morning to try and determine how it started.

A damage estimate was unavailable. The structural loss is unknown, there was nothing in the building to be saved, firefighters noted.

Eden and Hempfield ladder trucks transferred to Lancaster City fire stations during the fire. An engine from Lancaster Township Fire Department also stood by in their station to assist in covering the city.