Multi-alarm fire at Lehigh County greenhouse
LOWER MILFORD TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- The fire marshal is investigating the cause of a multi-alarm fire that heavily damaged a greenhouse in Lower Milford Township.
The fire broke out just after 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Schantz Greenhouse complex on the 8000 block of Spinnerstown Road in Zionsville.
Firefighters from Lehigh, Bucks, Berks, Montgomery and Northampton counties were called to the scene to battle the flames and haul water in tankers.
The blaze started in one building, where the steel roof collapsed. The fire then spread, causing damage to other buildings.
The fire was placed under control around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday. However, firefighters continue to put out pockets of the blaze.
Officials say the fire appears to have started somewhere near the loading dock.
Action News is told operations at the facility had closed down for the night, and that no one was inside the building when the fire started.
No one was injured.
Owner Patrick Flanley said the fire didn't spread to anything hazardous, which is all locked in a separate area.
They're still taking stock of the damage.
"It's not the whole building, but it's a big chunk," he said.
While the damage to the business is estimated to be $1 million, farm co-owner Lisa Myers says her concern about the business was secondary.
"My first reaction was 'Is everybody okay?' That was my first thought, my first concern," she said.
With their other greenhouses intact, and three other facilities in Pipersville, Quakertown, and one down in Maryland, this will have little effect on their Easter flower season. Still, they say seeing even part of their business go up in flames was like a punch to the gut.
"It does hurt, it's like a baby. We just know that we are going to be better than we were before and God is going to see us through," said Meyers.
While the fire remains under investigators, authorities say there is no reason to believe it is suspicious.
