Complete Demolition of Site of Warehouse Fire 1 Month Away

The final stage of demolition is set to begin at the site of a fire that destroyed a warehouse in South Jersey.

On September 1, 2013, a fire broke out at the Dietz & Watson cold storage facility on Cooperstown Road in Delanco, New Jersey. It took firefighters more than 24 hours to get the 11-alarm blaze at the 266,000-square-foot distribution center under control in part because of the hazards caused by solar panels installed on the gutted structure.

The devastating fire led to a long-lasting demolition project at the site. In addition to the debris, workers also had to remove 35 million pounds of rotten meat that was causing a foul stench in the neighborhood.

Nine months later, Dietz & Watson officials announced that the demolition effort is one final step away from completion. All that remains at the site are large sections of the concrete slab that served as the building’s foundation.

Demolition crews arrived on Tuesday and will begin their work on Wednesday. The final demolition process is expected to take about a month to complete. The crews also plan to spray water on the concrete pile as its being crushed and removed in order to reduce the dust.

“We are very pleased to see the demolition process coming to an end in Delanco,” said Dietz & Watson CEO Louis Eni. “It has not been easy for the neighbors there and we thank them – along with all of our loyal customers – for their patience and support in the wake of that devastating fire.”

Eni also says the company is expected to make a final decision by the end of the month on where a new distribution center will be built to replace the one that was destroyed in the fire.

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