NEWS

Old poultry plant burns

Lou Whitmire
Reporter

BUCYRUS - The former Eckleberry Poultry building, which stretches from Spring to Grove streets, was engulfed in flames Sunday afternoon, sending black smoke for miles.

Bucyrus Fire Department worked Sunday afternoon to knock down the fire from above and from the ground at the former Eckleberry Poultry building on Spring St.

The Bucyrus Fire Department worked to knock down the fire from above on a ladder truck and from the ground as crowds of people came to see what all the smoke was about.

A Bucyrus police officer told people to move upwind of the smoke, which was possibly toxic as chemicals were inside. Scanner traffic indicated rubber and Styrofoam was stored inside.

It is unknown if anyone was injured. Galion firefighters were assisting, but left to go to a fire in Galion, bystanders said. Marion Township Fire Department arrived to assist with its ladder truck after 3 p.m.

A neighbor woman, Barbara Pfahler, said she was walking her dog and saw smoke. She pounded on a resident's door and he called 911, she said.

Pfahler said firefighters rescued two dogs from an upstairs apartment at the site. One dog ran out toward the nearby cemetery and another dog was carried out.

No further information was immediately available as firefighters battled the blaze.

Pfahler said she did not see firefighters bring any people out of the building.

lwhitmir@nncogannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir