Fire crews battle massive industrial fire at Montgomery County’s SPS Technologies
Explosions were reported at the aerospace parts supplier on Highland Avenue in Abington Township.
A shelter-in-place was still active within a one-mile radius and area schools were closed Tuesday after a 4-alarm fire ripped through an aerospace parts supplier in Montgomery County on Monday night, officials said.
Shortly after 9:30 p.m., police received multiple 911 calls of an explosion at SPS Technologies industrial complex on Highland Avenue, in Jenkintown, Abington Police Chief Patrick Molloy said at a Tuesday morning news conference. When first responders arrived, they were met with multiple explosions at the complex, he said.
Firefighters from 68 fire companies responded to battle the blaze, Molloy said, and many were still on scene Tuesday morning trying to put the fire fully under control. As of Tuesday morning, no injuries were reported, he said.
Due to concerns over air quality and water contamination, a shelter-in-place was activated for residents within a one-mile radius of the scene, Molloy said. Hazmat teams are still monitoring air quality and water runoff from the scene, but have not detected any threats to the public, he said.
SPS Technologies manufactures fasteners and other small metal equipment for the aerospace and other industries, said Abington Fire Marshal Chris Platz. Fire officials were initially concerned that if some of the heat treating chemicals used at the facility mixed, they could form arsenic, said Abington Fire Chief Mike Jones.
Due to the fire, Abington, Jenkintown, and Cheltenham School Districts announced all schools would be closed Tuesday.
In a post on X, Gov. Josh Shapiro said his administration was in close contact with local officials and said the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was on site helping to monitor air quality and water runoff.
SEPTA reported that the Doylestown and Warminster regional rail lines were suspended because of fire activity near Glenside Station.
Abington Township Commissioner Jeffrey Browne also posted a statement about the fire on Facebook.
“Hey neighbors, if you haven’t heard already, there’s a huge fire at SPS Technologies on Highland Ave. I’m sure all of our local Abington Fire Companies are on call including Edge Hill Fire Company,” Browne said.
“Please keep all of our brave first responders as well as any employees that were in the building in your thoughts and prayers and please avoid the area!!” Brown said.
The company was founded more than a century ago as Standard Pressed Steel Company. The Abington complex is described as 560,000 square feet and is a source for parts throughout the aerospace industry.
The site is within a few hundred feet of the nearest homes and an athletic field with several baseball diamonds.