Related links
BRENTWOOD, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
A four alarm fire in Brentwood kept firefighters from 16 area departments busy for more than 5 hours Monday night. Brentwood fire chief, Bob Niemeyer, said it created quite a mess and quite a scare. He said two firefighters from other departments went missing inside the burning KV Pharmaceuticals building in the 2600 block of Hanley Road near Manchester. The two were located and both got out of the building safely.
Another went to a hospital for treatment after being overcome by heat.
Even though a pharmaceutical company was burning, he said the real danger was from the heavy flames and damage to the structure, not from any chemicals burning inside the building. A hazardous materials crew responded to the scene but found no reason for evacuations.
Niemeyer said firefighters took a defensive mode after roof began showing signs of collapse; three ladder trucks rained water down on the flames for hours.
Niemeyer said he did not know what started the fire. He did not qualify it as "suspicious". He said KV had been a good company, even though it had recently run into trouble with the Food and Drug Administration.
KV had reportedly suspended production and distribution temporarily after recalling oversized doses of painkillers. Niemeyer said only two KV employees were in the building at the time of the fire. They notified the fire department.
Niemeyer said the first crews were on the scene within two minutes of getting the call but the fire was already going strong. Though Niemeyer said burning chemicals were not a major concern, isopropyl alcohol and plastics fueled the flames.
The fire was still smoldering but appeared to be under control by 10:30 Monday night.
Crews from Kirkwood, Ladue, Creve Coeur, Mehlville, Maplewood, Richmond Heights, Metro West, University City, Brentwood, Webster Groves, Shrewsbury, St. Louis City, Frontenac, Warson Woods, Glendale, and Clayton responded to the scene.
View Larger Map
Another went to a hospital for treatment after being overcome by heat.
Even though a pharmaceutical company was burning, he said the real danger was from the heavy flames and damage to the structure, not from any chemicals burning inside the building. A hazardous materials crew responded to the scene but found no reason for evacuations.
Niemeyer said firefighters took a defensive mode after roof began showing signs of collapse; three ladder trucks rained water down on the flames for hours.
Niemeyer said he did not know what started the fire. He did not qualify it as "suspicious". He said KV had been a good company, even though it had recently run into trouble with the Food and Drug Administration.
KV had reportedly suspended production and distribution temporarily after recalling oversized doses of painkillers. Niemeyer said only two KV employees were in the building at the time of the fire. They notified the fire department.
Niemeyer said the first crews were on the scene within two minutes of getting the call but the fire was already going strong. Though Niemeyer said burning chemicals were not a major concern, isopropyl alcohol and plastics fueled the flames.
The fire was still smoldering but appeared to be under control by 10:30 Monday night.
Crews from Kirkwood, Ladue, Creve Coeur, Mehlville, Maplewood, Richmond Heights, Metro West, University City, Brentwood, Webster Groves, Shrewsbury, St. Louis City, Frontenac, Warson Woods, Glendale, and Clayton responded to the scene.
View Larger Map
