Officials monitoring air, water quality as fire burns at SPS ...

Officials in Montgomery County said they'll continue to monitor air and water quality in Abington Township, Pennsylvania as firefighters work to put out an industrial building fire Tuesday morning.

The fire broke out at SPS Technologies on Highland Avenue around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17. At a press conference Tuesday morning, Abington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy said the fire escalated to four alarms by 1 a.m., and nearly 70 fire companies responded to the building over the course of the night.

Molloy said about 60 employees were inside the building when the fire broke out, but "by the grace of God" everyone was able to evacuate and no one was hurt.

No injuries were reported among first responders either, Molloy said. As of 7 a.m., the fire was still smoldering inside but was mostly contained to the center of the building. As of 11 a.m., officials said the fire re-intensified and more black smoke could be seen coming from the building.

A shelter-in-place order put into effect Monday night remains in place for a 1-mile radius around the building. Residents are urged to keep their windows closed and stay indoors until the order is lifted. Updates regarding the shelter-in-place will be provided at least every two hours on the township's website. 

SPS Technologies manufactures metal equipment for the aerospace industry and other sectors, including the military. A chemical process is involved in that manufacturing, said Abington Fire Marshal Chris Platz, and firefighters concentrated on keeping the flames away from those chemicals.

While no threats have been detected to air quality or water runoff in the area, throughout the day, hazmat and Department of Environmental Protection officials will continue to test air and water.

"Please keep all of our brave first responders as well as any employees that were in the building in your thoughts and prayers and please avoid the area!!" Jeffrey Browne, the Ward 6 commissioner of Abington Township, wrote on Facebook. 

The Abington Fire Marshal, Montgomery County Hazmat Team, and Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management directed all buildings in the Abington School District, Jenkintown School District, and private and parochial schools to close Tuesday.

Officials said the goal is to have schools reopen on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

The fire also caused Manor College in Abington Township to close on Tuesday, Feb. 18. However, classes will be held virtually. Students will be provided updates via email. 

SEPTA service alerts: 3 Regional Rail lines suspended due to fire

The fire is causing disruptions on SEPTA, and service remains suspended on the Lansdale/Doylestown, West Trenton and Warminster Regional Rail lines Tuesday morning because of fire department activity near Glenside station. 

"This could also cause cascading delays on other parts of the system," a SEPTA spokesperson said.

Riders can follow updates at SEPTA.org/alerts, the app and SEPTA's account on X.

What is SPS Technologies?

SPS Technologies, aka the Standard Pressed Steel Company, was founded in 1903. The warehouse is a 560,000-square-foot facility supplier for aerospace fasteners and fittings. 

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