Local News
Cracked furnace prompts fire response to Gillinder's Glass Factory
By Sharon E. Siegel
Jul 20, 2008, 16:33 PST

An early-morning July 12, 2008 blaze brought all Port Jervis Fire Department units to the scene of one of the city�s more unusual blazes.

The call to the historic 19th Century Gillinders Glass Factory on Erie Street went in as individual companies were preparing for the department�s oldest continuous tradition, its 158th Annual Inspection Day Parade, which kicked off at 2 p.m. that afternoon.

PJFD Chief Joseph Kowal said the fire was quickly contained to an extremely hot furnace located at the rear of the mostly tin-constructed building. The furnace, containing 2500-degree molten glass, had cracked, allowing flames to escape to the concrete floor below.

"Fortunately only concrete and tin surrounded it," said Kowal. "We basically just used cooled the furnace down."

In addition to all Port Jervis units, Greenville, Huguenot, Sparrowbush and Matamoras Fire Departments were on standby for the call.