[Press Release] : Fire at 3-M Company

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Lt. Debbie Sorrell - (573) 874-7569

Fire at 3-M Company - 5400 Paris Road Hazardous Materials Incident

COLUMBIA, MO (November 20, 2005) -- Columbia firefighters responded to
a report of an automatic fire alarm at 7:34 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20, at
3-M Company, 5400 Paris Road.

Fire crews arrived and began to investigate the cause of the alarm.
Firefighters found active fire in a room in the southeast section of the
plant. The room was labeled indicating that chemicals, (hazardous
materials), were stored in this room. 

Because the building is protected by automatic fire sprinkler systems,
the fire was being held in check and extinguished. Fire crews made a
tactical decision not to enter the room until the exact contents to the
room could be identified. 

Additional units, including the Hazardous Materials Unit and the
Haz-Mat Team, were activated and requested to respond to the scene. 

The building was evacuated of all employees'. The exact number of
employees' in the building at the time of the incident is unknown as
of this release, but all employees are accounted for and no injuries are
reported. The oncoming shift will in all likelihood be held outside of
the building until such time it is deemed safe to reenter. 

As of 8:45 p.m., Columbia firefighters and Haz-Mat team members are
working to support the industrial hygienists from 3-M Company who were
on the scene and working to determine the exact chemicals in the room,
the quantity and what if any damage has occurred. The industrial
hygienists are trained to handle these types of emergencies and have the
proper equipment to do so. 

Columbia fire commanders and 3-M representatives report that at no time
was there any danger to the public or employees' during the fire. 

More information will be released concerning this incident as details
become available. 

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