No injuries in plant fire

View larger image Firefighters check the scene after spraying water on the rooftop fire at HP Hood, LLC in Winchester Wednesday morning. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Firefighters spray water on the fire at HP Hood, LLC in Winchester Wednesday morning. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Firefighters check the scene after flowing water on the rooftop fire at HP Hood, LLC in Winchester Wednesday morning. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Firefighters check the scene after flowing water on the rooftop fire at HP Hood, LLC in Winchester Wednesday morning. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image A security guard stands along the roadway to HP Hood LLC in Winchester Wednesday morning as employees congregate outside the building after a roof fire. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image A security guard stands along the roadway to HP Hood LLC in Winchester Wednesday morning as employees congregate outside the building after a roof fire. Rich Cooley/Daily

Roof, equipment damaged in blaze

By Alex Bridges -- abridges@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- The cause of a Wednseday morning fire at the HP Hood plant in Kernstown remains under investigation.

Emergency workers responded to a structure fire at the facility at 160 Hood Way at 7:48 a.m., according to a news release issued by the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Department on Wednesday afternoon.

"When crews arrived, fire was showing from the roof of the structure with heavy smoke conditions," the release states. "Fire crews utilized the ladder truck water way and were able to knock down the fire."

Motorists traveling Interstate 81 could see plumes of black smoke rising above the plant.

All plant workers had evacuated and no injuries were reported, according to the release. Employees followed the plant's evacuation plan, according to the release. Fire alarms and sprinkler systems activated successfully, the release notes.

Workers were seen standing along Hood Way far from the plant. Vehicles entering the facility were directed to park in an area off Hood Way.

Information on how long firefighters took to bring the fire under control and extinguish it was not available Wednesday evening. Smoke and flames no longer could be seen coming from the roof by 8:15 a.m.

Crews then used hand lines and pulled roof materials from the structure to fully extinguish the fire, according to the release. Firefighters cleared scene after performing an extensive overhaul of the roof.

Within an hour after firefighters extinguished the blaze workers were allowed back into all parts of the plant except the areas affected by the fire, according to Missi Heimdel, with the county agency.

The last crew left the scene at approximately 11:45 a.m., Heimdel said.

The roof and some equipment sustained damage, the release states. The department could not release cost estimates on the damage because of the proprietary nature of the machines in the plant, according to the release.

The Frederick County Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of the blaze.
Crews from Stephens City, Millwood, Gainesboro, Greenwood, Round Hill and the Frederick County Battalion 10 duty officer responded to the indident. They received assistance from fire and rescue workers from North Warren in Warren County, and crews from the city's Shawnee and South End stations and Winchester Battalion 6 duty officer.