By Paula Pyzik Scott

On the evening of Monday, October 5, the Bluffton Fire Department was dispatched to SRK Industries on Snider Rd. for a reported fire alarm. Chief Jon Kinn provided the following details.

"The first arriving units found heavy smoke coming from the north end of the facility. Mutual aid was requested from both the Beaverdam-Richland Fire Department and Southwest Hancock Joint Fire District. 

"According to SRK personnel, maintenance was being performed on a paint-spray machine when a smoldering fire started as employees removed built-up paint inside the machine. 

"Firefighters were able to remove access panels from the machine and were subsequently able to extinguish the fire. 

"There were no reported injuries, and the facility was able to return to operation that evening."