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Jed Boal ReportingFire ripped through a Cache County industrial building Thursday and wiped out two businesses. No one was hurt, but the fire was a major blow to both businesses. A thick column of smoke rose into the air as flames ripped through the massive metal building that for years was a turkey barn.
When the fire started around 3:30 all employees were gone for the day. When the owner of Spectrum Manufacturing got the call that his business was going up in flames, his wife says there was little he could do.
Kim Nielsen, Business Owner's Wife: “He beat the fire department and heard explosions, and the business was on fire.”
Spectrum makes amusement park equipment. In all of the debris were roller coaster cars ready to ship out.
Kim Nielsen, Business Owner's Wife: “It's very devastating, especially for my husband. From a small business to this.”
They lost a fiberglass shop and a paint shop, both stored flammable chemicals. On the other side, Mountain Fiber stored housing insulation and recycled paper.
The heavy timber construction and all of the combustible material burned quickly under the metal roof. Firefighters will work long hours digging through the layers of smoldering debris.
As for Kim Nielsen and her husband...
"We're just trying to make it through the next five minutes."
