Some residents asked to voluntarily evacuate after SPS Technologies fire in Abington Township, Pennsylvania
UPDATE: Evacuation orders have been lifted. Click here for the latest updates.
Officials in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, said they'll continue to monitor air and water quality in Abington Township as firefighters work to put out a smoldering industrial building fire.
The fire broke out at SPS Technologies on Highland Avenue around 9:30 p.m. on Monday. At a press conference earlier this week, Abington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy said the fire escalated to four alarms by 1 a.m., and nearly 70 fire companies, including mostly volunteers, responded to the building over the course of the night.
Molloy said about 60 employees were inside the building when the fire broke out, but "by the grace of God" everyone was able to evacuate and no one was hurt. No injuries were reported among first responders either, Molloy said.
In an update Wednesday morning, Abington officials said the scene of the fire is active and first responders will continue to "work around the clock to ensure public safety."
Low temps created icy conditions at the site of the blaze, which has been challenging for firefighters working to put out the fire.
"When you look at the size of this building, some 500,000 square feet and multilayers," Molloy said. "The difficulty to access. Our firefighters out in the weather and with equipment, it's very difficult to completely extinguish the fire."
By Tuesday morning, the fire was mostly contained to the center of the building, though later in the day officials said the fire had re-intensified and black smoke could be seen coming from the building.
Video from Chopper 3 on Wednesday captured the extensive damage left behind by the fire. Some light smoke was seen coming from the building.
Evacuation notice for residents and businesses in select area
Abington Township announced Tuesday afternoon all residents and businesses within the area below should evacuate voluntarily due to changing conditions and air quality concerns.
Here are the evacuation areas, according to the township. They are outlined in red in the map graphic below.
- Stewart Avenue
- Runnymede Avenue
- Florence Avenue between Runnymede and West avenues
- Highland Avenue between Hillside and West avenues
- Rodman Avenue between Walnut Street and Runnymede Avenue
- Hillside Avenue between Florence Avenue and Walnut Street
- Myrtle Avenue between Runnymede and Rodman avenues
The auditorium at the Cheltenham High School at 500 Rices Mill Road in Wyncote will be the evacuation shelter. American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania said the shelter at the school is now closed.
The Red Cross urges residents to call Abington Township at 610-635-4300 if they need help to re-enter their homes.
"Residents who are able are asked to self-evacuate by driving to the high school or a location outside of the 1-mile radius surrounding the SPS Technologies site, located at 301 Highland Ave. in Jenkintown. Transportation will be provided to residents who are unable to self-evacuate," the release said. "Please call 610-635-4300 if you need transportation to the evacuation center. Leashed or crated pets are allowed at the evacuation shelter."
The township asks residents to bring at least two days' worth of any prescription medications or necessary medical devices and identification. Residents are also encouraged to bring a change of clothes and any leashes, medications and food for pets.
"All residents and businesses outside the evacuation area but within 1 mile of the SPS Technologies site are asked to continue to shelter in place. All residents are asked to avoid the area," the release said.
You can view the shelter-in-place map here.
Abington Township also issued a Disaster Emergency declaration to give the community's Emergency Management Coordinator the ability to "take all appropriate action needed to alleviate the effects of this disaster, to aid in the restoration of essential public services, and to take any other emergency response action deemed necessary to respond to this disaster emergency."
Abington Township police urge residents to "stay away" from fire
Abington Township police and other officials said the industrial fire led to a voluntary evacuation notice for about 250 homes.
"We thought we had this fire under control, but we continued suppression efforts until about 10:30 this morning. At 10:30, there was a change in conditions and there was a flare-up," he said. "When you look at the size of this building, some 500,000 square feet and multi-layers, the difficulty to access … our firefighters out in that weather and with equipment, it's very difficult for them to completely extinguish this fire."
Molloy also explained how they thought it would be prudent to issue a voluntary evacuation order within a five-block radius from where the fire started. He said that he was told they were almost finished with the evacuations, and many chose to self-evacuate. Some also took the offer to go to Cheltenham High School for shelter.
"Most of the evacuation zone is in the Jenkintown borough. But at this point, that's been a successful operation," he said.
Police don't believe there is criminal activity involved, but the cause of the fire is under investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is on the scene to assist.
"The hazmat team and the DEP will continue to do air quality tests," Molloy said. "So far, all of those have been coming back positive."
When asked what to tell people who are trying to get in while firefighters fight an active fire, Molloy said, "Please stay away. Don't take any unnecessary risks. The message is to stay out of the area. Allow our firefighters and our emergency workers to continue to fight this fire until we can completely extinguish it. We cannot force people out of their homes. We can only encourage, facilitate and try to educate our community."
Abington Township Emergency Management Coordinator Tom McAneney mentioned there were no transports and no injuries in the industrial fire.
"Any major portion of the investigation can't take place until we have the fire completely out," McAneney said.
Officials monitoring air, water quality near fire site
A shelter-in-place order put into effect Monday night remains in place for a 1-mile radius around the building. Residents are urged to keep their windows closed and stay indoors until the order is lifted. Updates regarding the shelter-in-place will be provided at least every two hours on the township's website.
SPS Technologies manufactures metal equipment for the aerospace industry and other sectors, including the military. A chemical process is involved in that manufacturing, Abington Fire Marshal Chris Platz said, and firefighters concentrated on keeping the flames away from those chemicals.
While no threats to air quality or water runoff in the area have been detected, hazmat and Department of Environmental Protection officials will continue to test air and water.
With winds blowing roughly northwest to southeast, there is potential for smoke from the fire to carry southeast.
Neighborhoods in Philadelphia, including Fox Chase, are downwind of the fire. The city's Department of Public Health said multiple agencies were assessing air quality and the potential for any threat.
"At this time, no specific hazardous substances have been identified," the department said in an emailed update.
"Please keep all of our brave first responders as well as any employees that were in the building in your thoughts and prayers and please avoid the area!!" Jeffrey Browne, the Ward 6 commissioner of Abington Township, wrote on Facebook.
Area school districts closed again Wednesday
On Monday night, the Abington Fire Marshal, Montgomery County Hazmat Team and Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management initially directed all buildings in the Abington School District, Jenkintown School District, and private and parochial schools to close.
On Wednesday, those school districts, along with the Cheltenham School District, will remain closed because of the fire.
The fire also caused Manor College in Abington Township to close on Tuesday, Feb. 18 and hold classes virtually. Students will be provided updates via email.
Service still suspended at some SEPTA stations due to fire
The fire response prompted SEPTA to suspend service on several Regional Rail lines on Tuesday, but trains have resumed running on the West Trenton, Lansdale/Doylestown and Warminster lines.
However, as of Wednesday morning, SEPTA says West Trenton trains will not service Noble Station and Jenkintown-Wyncote Station.
Doylestown and Warminster trains will also skip Jenkintown-Wyncote and Glenside Station.
Riders can follow updates at SEPTA.org/alerts, the app and SEPTA's account on X.
What is SPS Technologies?
SPS Technologies, aka the Standard Pressed Steel Company, was founded in 1903. The warehouse is a 560,000-square-foot facility supplier for aerospace fasteners and fittings.
"It shook the house so bad"
Charles Brown evacuated his home on Tuesday after the explosion and fire. He's now at the shelter at Cheltenham High School, but on Monday night, the explosion shook his entire home.
"It was ridiculous, it shook the house so bad," Brown said.
The Red Cross is set up at the shelter at Cheltenham High and said there are 150 cots available as well as food and water for people who need it.
Jeanne Schmolze said everything also shook in her apartment when the explosion happened at SPS Technologies.
"I was watching TV and all of a sudden I heard this boom and my whole building shook," said Schmolze, who is concerned about air quality near her home as the fire continues.
Schmolze is one of thousands of people near the fire who stayed inside for most of the day on Tuesday.
"We're just waiting to see what's next 'cause my house is the first house on the block right next to the factory," Brown said.
Michael Dillard said he saw 15 to 20 fire trucks coming down the street on Monday night and knew something was going on.
"We looked out the window and saw smoke and high flames, it was huge," Dillard said.
Carol Denny arrived at the shelter after she was encouraged by her friends. She's taking it one day at a time.
"It's very frightening," she said.
