Crews Will Remain At Scene Of Massive Plant Fire Through The Night
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Crews Will Remain At Scene Of Massive Plant Fire Through The Night
Crews will remain at the scene of a massive furniture plant fire through the night after battling the flames throughout the day.
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(December 5, 2007)—The fire that gutted a 300,000-square-foot school library furniture manufacturing company in Belton was under control Wednesday night, but fire officials said crews will remain on the scene as flames continue to flare up.

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At the height of the fire Wednesday, more than 60 firefighters from 11 departments battled the flames at Indeco Sales at 805 East 4th St. in Belton.

Wednesday morning, flames were shooting a hundred feet into the air and the fire produced a towering cloud of smoke that was visible for miles.

Tanker trucks hauled water to the fire scene from as far away as Fort Hood to bolster the effort to contain the flames.

Embers from the burning building ignited a number of small grass fires in the area, which residents and police officers quickly extinguished.

The fire broke out shortly before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday and spread quickly through the building.

The owner of the company says it appears a board got stuck in a dust removal system on a paint line, sparking the fire, but fire officials said an official investigation won’t begin until the last of the flames are doused and the remains of the building are stabilized.

Students from nearby Tyler Elementary and Waskow High School were moved to Sparta Elementary School as a precaution.

The company manufactures oak, maple and laminate furniture for school libraries.

The owner said he will continue to pay the 100 employees of the plant through Christmas and said he plans to rebuild, but he’s not sure exactly when or where.

A preliminary estimate set damages at $10 million.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Eric Location: Fort Worth on Dec 11, 2007 at 11:02 AM

I have worked as sub fixing the cnc equipment for many years. The Mays family have ALWAYS treated me like gold and have Always appreciated me, as I have them. I'm certainly grateful for not only the business, but more importantly the friendships. From the comments, Lee's kindness has far outreached even more than I could have imagined. I certainly hope they can get back on their feet soon (as I know they will) and will be glad to help in any way possible. I know many people disliked Byron and will try to slander him, but the fact is, they just couldn't handle the job. Just in case the losers that posted negative comments don't understand, some of the ingredients of success are hard work, leadership, determination....terms you simply don't comprehend. I'm certain that the Mays' will bounce back from this "bump" in the road.
Posted by: Peter & Todd Location: Salt Lake City, Utah on Dec 9, 2007 at 08:44 PM

We met Mr Mays over twenty years ago and his Reputation, Character, Salesmanship and Integrity inspired us to pursue a career in the furniture industry. We wanted to be associated to an industry with such high caliber individuals. He always treated us with dignity and respect. The people of Belton should be grateful to have such an incredible and courageous individual that engaged in such a large endeavor. His company stands out as an example for the rest of us, all of us, regardless of our industry. We have been impressed with their success over the decades and wish them the best as they rebuild. Our thoughts and prayer go out to our friends at Indeco Sales. EXITO!
Posted by: Sam Snead Location: Temple College on Dec 7, 2007 at 01:14 AM

I find it interesting that most of the negative statements posted by people like "Justin" in Temple or "anonymous" are riddled with misspelling's. More than likely made by individuals with little or no education who may have been more suited for employment at swap meets or Dysentery Stool-Sample Analyzer. The opinions that matter will come out in the future and it is way to early to start pointing fingers or laying blame for what was initially an accident.
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