Ian Bates watched Monday afternoon as firefighters returned to battle more fire and smoke at Gerhardt USA in Dallastown.

As chief executive officer, Bates had an anxious night after a Sunday blaze caused an estimated $1 million in damage to the plant.

The lingering odor of hazardous chemicals Monday prevented investigators from probing what caused the fire at 400 E. Locust St.

The hazards also prevented Bates from assessing the damage to his plant, determining how soon clean-up can begin and planning when his workers can restart manufacturing parts used in the printing industry.

"Once we get in there, we will do a full assessment to when we can get running again," Bates said.

Bates told the plant's 28 employees they will get a paid vacation day Monday. He said he hoped they could return today[agu: Tuesday: ].

Early indications show no machinery was destroyed, but a chemical-processing area was lost. Plastic tanks used to dip the tools melted and formed a chemical mixture. That mixture is being held in a secure, concrete retention basin until an environmental disposal crew can remove it.

As clean-up crews began to pump out the chemicals Monday, the fire reignited, York Area Regional Police Detective Donald Hopple Jr. said.

A worker arriving just after 10:30 p.m. for a night shift smelled smoke, saw the fire and called 911.

"The fire had quite a head start before it was spotted," Hopple said.

It took firefighters about two hours to get the blaze under control. The fire above the chemical area burned through the roof, fire officials said.

"It could have been a lot worse if it not for our safety team and our firefighters here in the community," Bates said.

Gerhardt opened a satellite office in Dallastown to continue with business, including sales, Bates said. No orders or customers were affected because Gerhardt, an international company, had already switched operations to its plant in the United Kingdom.

Bates said company officials are debating whether to send workers to the U.K. for production and training.

"We have a good group of people here - very dedicated," he said.

Unknown dangers

Red Lion Fire Chief David Stump said firefighters did not learn until after they were battling Sunday's fire at Gerhardt USA about the amount and type of chemicals inside.

That information would have warned firefighters if the chemicals react with air or water and if there was a potential for an explosion.

"The potential was life-threatening," Stump said.

Fortunately, he said, no one was injured.

Location of fire


View Dallastown fire in a larger map

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