[Press Release] : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Fire Destroy Abandon Research Facility at Sinclair Farms

[Press Releases]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Battalion Chief Steven Sapp
573-874-7557  Office M-F 8-5
573-499-7035  Media Pager

Fire Destroy Abandon Research Facility at Sinclair Farms

COLUMBIA, MO (November 11, 2011) - At 8:20 PM on Thursday, November 10, 2011, the Columbia Fire Department was dispatched to 5735 South Sinclair Road for a report of a outside fire. Other calls to the 9-1-1 Center defined the fire as a building fire with smoke and fire coming from the roof of the building.

First arriving crews noted that the building was an abandoned research building on the University of Missouri Sinclair Research Farm property. Crews reported heavy fire and smoke from the building with the building 50% involved in fire.

There was no indication that there were any occupants in the building and the fire Incident Commander directed that the fire be fought from outside the building using elevated hose streams from ladder trucks and quints.

The Boone County Fire Protection District was request to assist as fire hydrants in this rural urban interface area are some distance apart. The Boone County Fire District assisted with 3 tankers and two pumpers to establish a water supply via a tanker shuttle relay.

Once the water supply was established, fire crews operated from elevated devices for several hours. Around 10:30, walls and the remainder of the roof collapsed.

Representatives from MU's office of Environmental Health and Safety responded and reported that the building was no longer used for research and had been decommissioned in preparation for future demolition. There was no chemical or biological health risks in the building.

Fire investigators are on scene and will attempt to determine the origin and cause of the fire, but due to the amount of destruction, that job will prove difficult. Damage estimates are not available and likely won't be until the first of next week.

There were no injuries on the fire ground.

There was a report that one or more vehicles were seen leaving the area of the building shortly before the fire was noticed. If anyone has any information on vehicle description, license numbers, or other information, they are encouraged to call MUPD or the Columbia Fire Department.

Additional information may be available after 10 am on Friday, November 11, 2011.

There are four high resolution photos attached to this release via the link provided.


This release has the following attachments:

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/CMS/pressreleases/downloadfile.php?id=42



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