Fire destroys Edwards Fiberglass building

Some 25 Pettis County firefighters spent more than three hours early Friday morning battling a stubborn fire that destroyed a supply building at Edwards Fiberglass.

The building, which contained fiberglass, resin and acetone, was still smoldering at about 9 a.m. Friday.

Shaun Edwards, one of the company owners, said he was unsure how the building caught fire or the cost of the damage.

“They are still working on that,” he said.

The company, which employs about 50 people, was operating despite the loss. “It’s business as usual,” Edwards said.

Pettis County firefighters received the first call at 12:27 a.m. and arrived at the building at Boonville and Harding roads 17 minutes later, according to county call records. The fire was contained, and the last unit left at 4:04 a.m., according to the log.

The state fire marshal was on his way Friday morning to investigate the cause of the fire.

Pettis County Fire Chief Jeff Williams said he did not know whether it was intentionally set.

Williams said the county used three tankers and five pumpers to battle the fire in the building, which he estimated at 4,800 square feet. Several explosions hampered efforts to contain the blaze, which was the biggest fire the department has faced this year, Williams said.

The Sedalia Fire Department took a ladder truck to the fire, but firefighters didn’t need it, Williams said.

The company lost another building to a fire about seven years ago, Edwards said.