A fire destroyed an Akron mattress factory and warehouse Saturday on East Exchange Street, creating plumes of smoke that were visible miles away through the afternoon.
The fire at Akron Mattress, 601 E. Exchange St., near the University of Akron campus and state Route 8 was reported to the Akron Fire Department about 11:25 a.m. Saturday.
Workers inside one of the property’s two buildings discovered the fire and called 911, Akron Fire District Chief Art Dobbins said. All workers made it out of the buildings safely.
Firefighters who arrived on scene immediately called it a two-alarm fire, Dobbins said.
“It’s been a defensive fire,” he said of the firefighters’ plan of attack.
The buildings were full of mattresses in storage, which is why it was hard to bring the fire under control, Dobbins said. Several times, the smoke turned black again after water had doused one area.
About 1 p.m., there was still smoke billowing as firefighters put water on the fire from several angle, including from the tops of three ladders. They declared the fire out just after 2 p.m.
Police blocked traffic on Exchange Street for about four blocks east from state Route 8 as firefighters continued to fight the blaze. By 4:30 p.m., the road was back open and just one crew remained on scene.
Fire spokeswoman Sierjie Lash said a cause had not been determined. An investigator was on scene collecting evidence and taking pictures. In addition to storing mattresses, she said, the buildings contained “a lot of equipment in there for making mattresses.”
Both buildings appeared to be destroyed.
Contact reporter Jennifer Pignolet at [email protected], at 330-996-3216 or on Twitter @JenPignolet.
I’m at the scene of a big commercial fire on Exchange street. Just past route 8. They are getting pretty good water on it now but definitely massive damage. Some flames still burning. @beaconjournal pic.twitter.com/TTtoNL3Q2u
— Jennifer Pignolet (@JenPignolet) February 1, 2020
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