By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Two Bowling Green firefighters suffered heat-related health issues Friday afternoon after working to put out a fire at the Cooper Standard Automotive plant at 1175 N. Main St.
Fire Chief Bill Moorman said the firefighters were being monitored after spending time on the plant roof, where temperatures were recorded as high as 144 degrees.
A video was given to Moorman of the blast that ignited the fire, prior to the arrival of fire crews.
The fire call came in around 1:13 p.m., for an active fire at the plant. About a half hour later, a Code Red alert was issued, asking people to avoid the area of the fire. BG Fire Division was assisted by firefighters from Middleton Township, Perrysburg, plus Mid-County EMS and Medic 680. Pemberville firefighters were called in to staff the Bowling Green stations that were emptied to fight the fire at Cooper.
Bowling Green Fire Division is called frequently to the Cooper Standard plant for smoke or fire in the “stacks” or the ventilation system. Usually, it’s not a full-blown fire, Moorman said. But Friday was different.
When firefighters arrived today, there was zero visibility due to all the smoke, he said. It took nearly three hours and 25 personnel on the scene to extinguish the fire.
“This one’s a little larger than we usually have here,” Moorman said, noting that the typical fires at the plant are contained to the inside of the stacks.
Moorman said the efforts to put out the blaze were delayed because the scene was not safe for Cooper employees to shut down the plant ventilator system. The smoke was so thick that plant employees instead had to try to direct firefighters, dressed in their safety gear, to cut the ventilation.
Though the heavy gear helps protect firefighters from injury, on days like today with heat in the 90s, the turnout gear adds a lot of warmth. So crews focused on short shifts, followed by periods of rehab, the chief said.
“It’s a hot day. These are tough conditions,” Moorman said. “I can only imagine how hot it is inside with turnout gear on.”
The additional ambulances were stationed at the plant to provide rehabilitation for firefighters as they exited the plant. That rehab included plenty of water, time to cool down a bit, and checking of vitals.
“That’s a priority, to rehab our people in and out,” the chief said of the crew rotations. Hydration was pushed, “making sure they can go in again.”
The processing of rubber seals at the Cooper Standard Automotive plant can be very flammable, Moorman said. The process creates a lot of dust, despite efforts to keep the stacks clean.
That leads to frequent fire calls to the plant, the chief said.
“It’s not unusual for us to be out there,” the chief said.
But in this case, it was serious enough that a lot of the ductwork had to be cut out, he added.
