Kaya Wagner
Staff Writer
On Feb. 19 an explosion occurred at a SPS Technologies factory located at Jenkintown in Abington Township. A massive fire then erupted in the 560,000-square-foot facility and led to the evacuation of all 60 workers there. Schools the following day opted to close, with authorities issuing a shelter-in-place order within a one-mile radius of the factory. 68 fire companies responded to help contain the four-alarm fire at the facility. Concerns came from the thick smoke from the building and whether the smoke contained possibly hazardous chemicals.
SPS Technologies manufactures nuts, bolts, and metal fasteners for industries such as aerospace and aviation. Concern for those in the area comes after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fined the company $110,000 for violating hazardous waste storage regulations.
Officials confirmed on Feb. 20 that the fire had not reached the section of the building where the largest stores of chemicals were kept. Environmental agencies have been monitoring the area, where testing has shown that there are no threats to air or drinking water quality, although a small amount of “chemicals of concern” were found adjacent to the site at Tookany Creek, a body of water not used for drinking.
SPS Technologies shared a statement on the night of Feb. 20 saying, “We truly appreciate the efforts of the first responders and other authorities who have worked tirelessly to keep everyone safe and to address the fire, as well as the messages of support from the community that we’ve been a part of for more than 120 years. We regret the significant impact the fire has had on our neighbors, and we will be reaching out to the community in the days and weeks ahead. … We are working to understand the extent of the damage and its impact on our business, as well as our path forward.”
While there are still hot spots at the site of the fire, demolition has begun at the site. This decision was made to ultimately allow firefighters to gain better access to the hot spots and allow for them to be distinguished. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.