CENTRALIA — Smoke from an early morning fire on Centralia’s northwest side blackened the sky and could be seen as far away as Irvington.

Centralia City firefighters were responding just before 7 a.m. to a fire at the former Teddy Bear Bar in the 700 block of Wilson when they noticed smoke coming from the former Plastiflex building about a block away.

As flames started shooting from the older section of the Plastiflex building, fire officials put out the call for mutual aid and for the State Fire Marshal.

All available Centralia City firefighters were called in, and Centralia Fire Protection District, Salem, Mt. Vernon, Odin, Sandoval fire districts were called to provide equipment and manpower assistance.

Kell was unable to provide coverage of the Centralia fire station so Patoka staged at the Sandoval Fire Station to provide coverage. Firefighters were able to save the newer section of the old Plastiflex building, but the older section was destroyed.

Plastiflex manufactured plastic hoses at the location, but had ceased operations in 1996.  Firefighters reportedly found the building full of black plastic pipe. Firefighters remained on scene into the late morning putting out spot fires and starting the investigation into the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported.

See pictures of the fire via the link to our sister station’s here: