Firefighters battle Dunbar Twp. greenhouse fire in blazing heat
Alyssa Choiniere | Herald-Standard
A firefighter catches a bottle of water outside Oglevee Floral Co. in Dunbar Township Tuesday afternoon, after battling a greenhouse fire in 90 degree temperatures. The fire was contained to two or three greenhouses, where temperatures reached about 140 degrees before the fire began just before 1:30 p.m.
Alyssa Choiniere | Herald-Standard
A fire at Oglevee Floral Co. in Dunbar Township caused between $30,000 and $50,000 in damages Tuesday afternoon. The fire started in a greenhouse where temperatures reached about 140 degrees.
Alyssa Choiniere | Herald-Standard
Connellsville Township Volunteer Fire Department safety officer Dick Oglevee (at right), who owned Oglevee Floral Co. before selling the building about five years ago, takes a break Tuesday afternoon after fighting the fire at his former business in blazing heat.
A Dunbar Township greenhouse caught fire Tuesday — the second greenhouse owned by the same family to catch fire within one year.
“You wouldn’t think it’s possible,” said John Cellurale, whose parents have owned the greenhouse for about five years. “You don’t think the nightmare is going to happen a second time.”
On Oct. 8, Cellurale Garden Center along Route 119 in Dunbar Township burned to the ground in a matter of minutes after the building was fully engulfed in flames within roughly 30 seconds.
Firefighters from multiple companies contained Tuesday’s fire at the former Oglevee Floral Co. in blazing heat Tuesday afternoon just before 1:30 p.m., with temperatures in the low 90s and reaching about 140 degrees in the greenhouse.
“It’s just a testament to the hard work of the firefighters that it wasn’t any worse,” Cellurale said. “I can’t say enough about how good they are.”
The greenhouse was temporarily closed for upgrades, and the damaged portion was not insured. He said it appeared to cause about $30,000 to $50,000 in damage.
Morrell Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Warren Morris said the fire was accidental. It appeared that a fan malfunctioned, causing temperatures to skyrocket in the greenhouse.
“A sunny day like this, no ventilation, it’s just gonna bake,” Cellurale said. “Any little piece of paper, a piece of plastic – that greenhouse is like a big heater.”
Firefighters in their gear inside the greenhouse experienced temperatures of between 500 and 800 degrees while it was ablaze, said Morris.
“No one got hurt, thank God,” he said. “Just a lot of tired firefighters.”
Among those was Connellsville Township Safety Officer Richard “Dick” Oglevee, who owned Oglevee Floral Co. before selling the greenhouse building to the Cellurale family.
“It’s just like any other fire. You just take care of it,” he said.
Oglevee was the first one on the scene after receiving a phone call as he was driving in the area.
“What it was like? Hot,” he said with a laugh.
A Fayette EMS rehab unit was on the scene. Firefighters dumped bottles of water on their heads and cooled off in the shade with a fan blowing mist. Morris said he called multiple fire departments and tankers to alleviate the strain on the hot day.
The fire was contained to about two or three greenhouses, Morris said.
“It was impeding the warehouse here, so that’s why we put a stop on it, so we wouldn’t lose the whole thing,” he said.
The blaze Tuesday was the first Morrell fire department led without its chief, Ross Rock, who died Saturday.
“I just want everybody to know we really miss him,” Morris said. “He was a heck of a guy.”