By Stephen Thompson
News Channel 8 via The Tampa Tribune
TAMPA, Fla. — A fire erupted at an electrical engineering firm warehouse Saturday, setting off small explosions and sending up a black smoke plume visible for miles.
No injuries were reported, and no houses or businesses were evacuated.
One fire truck was damaged as firefighters battled the blaze at Electrical Engineering Enterprises, 6115 Hartford St., authorities said. “There was an explosion shortly after they arrived, and they didn’t have time to move the truck,” said David Travis, an interim assistant chief with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.
About 40 fire rescue units responded just after 3:30 p.m. to the roughly 11,000-square-foot, prefabricated metal building, which includes a shop and warehouse.
The Department of Environmental Protection also responded, Travis said.
The company’s president, Wayne Ellis, said it was “a massive fire.”
Travis said the company refurbishes transformers, a process that requires gallons of mineral oil, as well as propane tanks to power forklifts.
The property was built in 1984 and has an assessed value of $290,000, according to the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser.
Investigators were trying to determine the cause. A damage estimate was not available.
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