PRATTSVILLE, N.Y.-- Several area fire departments were among those that went to a massive structure fire in Greene County on Monday.
Departments went out at about 4 p.m. for a fire at the former Greene-Del Meat Packing Co. in Prattsville.
The plant had been closed for more than 20 years, Prattsville Town Supervisor Richard Morse said.
Prattsville Fire Chief Randy Brainerd said the fire may have been caused by a blowtorch being used by a contractor in the abandoned building.
"There was a contractor removing a lot of pumps with a torch," Brainerd said Monday night. "There was a lot of valuable pumps."
The building was destroyed, Brainerd said, adding that it was "pretty much" gone by the time crews got there.
Prattsville had mutual aid from Greene, Schoharie and Delaware county fire departments, including Conesville, Stamford, Roxbury and Grand Gorge.
Four other departments from Greene County also were at the fire.
Brainerd said crews were out for about five hours; about 100 firefighters were at the blaze and no one was hurt.
Brainerd didn't have the name of the owner of the building and said the contractor removing the pumps left before crews got there.
Morse said the plant was on state Route 23 along the border between Greene and Delaware counties.
"They were demolishing it as they were putting it out," said George Lackie, deputy fire coordinator for Greene County. "That's the only way to effectively put it out."
Lackie said it wasn't safe to send firefighters into the building.
Republished with permission of The Daily Star.
