Fire at tear gas maker challenging

Black smoke was rising on Tuesday from a storage facility at Nonlethal Technologies in Indiana County when bookkeeper Shawna McCutcheon stepped out of her building.

She had 911 on the line about 10:30 a.m. to report the blaze at the Black Lick Township manufacturer of tear gas, rubber batons and nonlethal munitions.

“They said they heard pops and everybody started yelling, screaming to get out,” said McCutcheon of Shelocta.

About 40 people work at the plant, which is secluded from Route 286 by trees.

McCutcheon said two employees were nearby when the fire erupted, but no one was injured.

She speculated that a spark from a pellet press may have ignited a tear gas component.

Director Tom Stutzman of the Indiana County Emergency Management Agency said officials aren't sure if there was an explosion or how the blaze started.

Firefighters battled the blaze in 30-minute shifts while emergency management officials monitored the air quality and weather, with temperatures hovering around 90 degrees.

The smoke had the potential to be contaminated with chemicals, but Stutzman said that readings didn't indicated any issues downwind.

“They're getting a good knockdown,” he said. “The wind's changed on us a couple times today.”

After their shifts ended, firefighters would stand under a makeshift shower and rinse off their gear and heads.

Afterward, they were helped out of their gear. Paramedics checked their vital signs and handed out bottles of water. Many firefighters were drenched with sweat.

About a half-dozen fire departments responded to the scene while others covered for those at the fire.

Neighbor George Clark scrapped his travel plans to Johnstown to stand outside his Route 286 home and watch the action. He was watching television when he felt a little shake at his home, directly across the street from the plant entrance.

His neighbors, who declined to be identified, said their house shook before they saw flames shooting up from behind the trees across Route 286.

By 1 p.m., the fire appeared to be extinguished and smoke was no longer visible. Route 286 reopened just after 3 p.m.

Nonlethal Technologies is composed of four buildings, apparently done by design “so if they have an incident like this, it doesn't affect the” operation, Stutzman said.

The fire occurred at a wood-frame, metal-sided storage facility used for shipping and receiving in a back corner of the plant site, where chemicals are stored by type in cargo containers. Chemicals are manipulated in another building.

“It really wasn't much of a building,” Stutzman said. “What they lost in the building was really nothing.”

According to its website, Nonlethal Technologies manufactures riot and crowd-control equipment for law enforcement and the military.

A similar scene played out in December 2009 when a building at Nonlethal Technologies caught fire and firefighters contended with tear gas fumes. That 12:30 a.m. fire was brought under control about 4 a.m.

Renatta Signorini is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-837-5374 or rsignorini@tribweb.com