SUMTER, S.C. — Sumter firefighters are continuing to battle a fire at a former furniture store Wednesday morning. Sumter Fire Battalion Chief Joe Duggan says the blaze is under control but will continue to burn because of the materials involved.
Crews were called to the former V.B. Williams building on East Fulton Street shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday. The site is now used for the collection of recyclable materials and it is those plastic materials, cloth rags and used tires that continue to burn.
“It’s contained and under control, but it’s a lot of recyclable material, and a lot of it’s in bales so it’s hard to be able to get to; it’s hard to be able to put out, so we’re going to be here for probably several days working to be able to try get it put it out," Duggan said. "It’s taken a lot of water, we’re going to have to have some different equipment to come in… to be able to assist us, so we’re going to be here for a while, being able to extinguish the fire.”
Drone footage taken Wednesday morning by Sumter Police show the extent of the blaze. At one point during the evening, the fire was large enough to be recorded on local weather radar.
Sumter Police have reopened all but one lane of Lafayette Avenue as of Wednesday morning but smoke from the fire is still present in the area.
At the height of the blaze, Duggan reports that crews from 8 engines and 4 ladder trucks responded to the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as they become available.