ST. MARYS – A Straub Brewery maintenance building was heavily damaged by a fire Friday morning at 303 Sorg St., St. Marys, reported the state police at Ridgway today.
The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal, the St. Marys police and the Crystal Fire Department investigated the fire. The fire originated in a two-story maintenance building that measured 36-feet by 48-feet; it was located behind the main brewery building.
A fiber-option connection to the maintenance building was lost at approximately 8:47 a.m. This indicated the earliest known time of a problem within the building. The maintenance building wasn’t equipped with a fire detection or sprinkler system, according to state police.
The maintenance building wasn’t occupied at the time of the fire. The fire was discovered and reported to 911 at approximately 9:14 a.m. The cause of the fire was found to be accidental in nature, and there weren’t any indications of foul play, state police said.
The maintenance building and its contents sustained heavy fire damage; damage is estimated at approximately $300,000. The main brewery building wasn’t damaged as a result of the fire, and it remains open for business, state police said.
The Crystal Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Fox Township, Ridgway and Johnsonburg fire departments, St. Marys Area Ambulance, St. Marys City Street Department and the state Departments of Transportation and Environmental Protection.