FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) — Five area fire departments battled a blaze that destroyed Lepley’s Bus Garage in Franklin early Thursday morning.
The call came in at Midnight and crews remained on the scene until 3:25 a.m.
According to information from Franklin City Fire Department Chief Jim Wetzel, when the first unit arrived, the 40-foot x 50-foot garage was fully involved with heavy fire impeding upon the office trailer.
Firefighters began a defensive fire attack; however, the fire spread to the office trailer.
Chief Wetzel reported that the garage and contents were a total loss with damage estimated at $200,000. Also, the office trailer sustained moderate damage estimated at $7,500.
Five school buses parked near the building were lightly damaged.
The property is owned by Lepley Revocable Living Trust and was insured.
Wetzel also said that, due to the type of facility and the contents, it was found during suppression activities that oils and other hydrocarbons were flowing from the building. Crews attempted to contain the run-off by building dams around the parking lot. McCutcheon Enterprises, Inc., a waste management clean-up company was contacted.
A Franklin firefighter was taken to UPMC Northwest for treatment of a knee injury. He was released a short time later.
The Franklin Fire Department responded with two engines, a tower truck, and 12 firefighters.
They were assisted by the Franklin Police Department, Oil City Fire Department, Seneca Volunteer Fire Department, Franklin Street Department and Community Ambulance Service. Fire Police from Sandycreek and Reno Volunteer Fire Departments were on scene doing traffic control.
Rocky Grove Volunteer Fire Department and Sandycreek Township Volunteer Fire Department were on standby at their respective stations.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.