About one month after the massive factory fire in Abington, Montgomery County, that destroyed the building, half of the workforce there was laid off. NBC10’s Lili Zheng reports.
It's been nearly one month since an explosive fire at the SPS Technologies building in Abington Township.
Now, the Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners is asking well-known investor Warren Buffett to step in.
Commissioner Neil Makhija explained that there is uncertainty with the future of the building and the hundreds of employees who worked there.
Makhija said SPS is a staple in this community and ever since the fire, the county has been working to find a site to rebuild.
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In a letter to Buffett, Makhija said about 250 employees are facing immediate layoffs and asked for the company to provide a longer term, temporary pay and benefits to these employees.
The SPS Technologies Fire
The SPS Technologies factory -- that produced aerospace fasteners and fittings -- caught fire on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, as multiple explosions were reportedly heard throughout the facility.
Officials said at least 60 employees were inside the building at the time. They were all evacuated and accounted for, officials said. No injuries were reported.
As the factory burned, officials established an evacuation zone and advised all residents and businesses within one mile of the SPS Technologies building to shelter in place, remain indoors and avoid the area of the fire for some time.
Officials initially said there were concerns over fire fighting materials reacting with chemicals onsite to create arsenic, though, they never found any evidence of that occurring.
Also, officials have said that any water runoff from fire fighting efforts has been kept onsite and, there was no threat that waste water would enter the community's creeks or water supplies.
They also said drinking water has not been impacted.
Since the fire, a group of attorneys have filed a class-action lawsuit against SPS Technologies.
Hotline for concerned residents
SPS Technologies launched a community hotline for "questions, comments or concerns" from the Jenkintown and Abington communities, officials said. People can call 215-572-3326 or email contactSPS@pccairframe.com.
For more information and the latest updates from Abington Township, click here.
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