Fire stopped at SE Bend metal-plating company

A fire at a commercial metal-plating business in southeast Bend Friday morning caused little damage as fire and smoke detection systems did their job, officials said.

Firefighters responded just after 9 a.m. to the reported fire at Bend Plating at 550 Southeast Bridgeford Boulevard, said Battalion Chief Todd Riley.

The arrived to find a fire isolated to a steel dust collection hopper behind the building, Riley said. The damage was confined to the inside of the hopper and did not spread to the building, he added.

Fire Inspector Steve Stenkamp said one of the filter bags caught fire in the company’s air handling system. He told NewsChannel 21 on scene that fire crews cut a small hole to insert a piercing nozzle to apply water without putting too much oxygen on the blaze. He said that would “cool everything off and reduce the risk of explosion.”

More than a dozen firefighters were called out and on scene for about two hours. No injuries were reported, and losses were estimated at $2,500..

Riley reminded residents that “proper maintenance and testing of fire and smoke detection equipment will help ensure that it functions properly when needed.”