WEST NORRITON, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — More than 130 units were on site Monday battling a four-alarm commercial fire in West Norriton.
Officials said the fire broke out shortly after 11 a.m. Monday at the Superior Play Systems, a playground equipment supplier, in the 2500 block of Industry Lane.
Ben Marquez works behind the building and called 911 when the fire started.
“Unfortunately, it took off, and there was no stopping it,” Marquez said. “There are a lot of materials inside, a lot of plywood. And not to mention the bay doors were open and the wind was heavy at the time, which takes a fire and allows it to rip right through.”
Fire Marshal Mike Valio described the scene as a heavy column of black smoke that stretched about a mile out from the building.
“I think that building is gone,” he said.
Dennis has worked for Superior for 32 years and said the building was a community gathering space that he hopes can be rebuilt quickly after this tragedy.
“They said the buildings gotta come down, but I think there is another location in the industrial park that we’ll look into and we’ll rebuild that.”
Fire officials said the fire could burn all night into Tuesday morning. Employees were in the building at the time. They self-evacuated. There are no reports of injuries at this time.
