Ilion High School - Class of 1972

Utica Observer - June 20, 1972

Fire Hits Ilion Arms Plant

Article 21

Using $100,000 Diss Estate Bequest Would Develop Sports Complex
By Robert Pryor

ILION - Fire hit the Remington Arms Co. drop forge plant Just before 10 last night and gave fireman an hour's battle before being brought under control.

Flames lit up the sky and brought out thousands of spectators.

The fire was along the roof of the forge, a long building that ends near the Armory Hill steps off Otsego Street.

Firemen used a 90-foot water tower to keep the fire from spreading, pouring thousands of gallons of water into the building.

The building reportedly has six foreign made machines, two and a half stories high. They are used in the forging of gun barrels.

DEPUTY CHIEF Charles Schierholtz said an examination of the building would be made today to try to determine the cause.

One report, not confirmed, said there was an explosion, but Arms-officials said some heat treat equipment "puffed" making an explosion-like sound.

WHEN ILION firemen, under Chief Richard Wright arrived at the scene the roof was in flames. A call through the Herkimer County Mutual Fire Aid system brought the Mohawk Volunteer Fire Department to the east side of the building.

County Fire Coordinator Ira Allen then ordered the East Herkimer Volunteer Fire Department to stand by in the Ilion station with a pumper engine.

THE FIRE was stubborn and burned along about 150 feet of the upper building for nearly an hour before firemen controlled. Some smoke damage was sustained by nearby buildings.

Mayor James Garnsey had high praise for the work of the fire departments and said that the "cherry picker" proved its worth.

"Ilion and Mohawk firemen did a very good job and deserve a lot of credit," Allen said.