On the Scene Of The Abington Township Fire

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA —As you drive down Highland Avenue, you could see it in the distance right near Abington Township Senior High School.

Gray smoke poured out of the top of SPS Technologies as firefighters continued to contain the fire that burned the building and led to evacuations and shelter-in-place orders after the fire on Monday night. Those orders were lifted on Wednesday.

It was a massive blaze battled by 70 fire companies in Montgomery County and the Philadelphia region and on this Tuesday afternoon, the scene was one of calm, cold, and emptiness.

This was the command center set up to fight the fire and various emergency vehicles and fire trucks came in and out of the center located at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Jenkintown Road.

Temperatures were bone chilling and the wind whipped up but authorities went about their business in the parking lot of the Highland Bar and Grill.

In the short distance, two firefighters soaring high above the nearby SPS Technologies building in a bucket sprayed foam on the fire.

Nearby, ATF members were gathered right near Montgomery County's command center vehicle. Other authorities were around the parking lot chatting and braving the cold.

But the scene was serene despite the danger even though the smell of smoke was in the air.

A few stragglers walked into the parking lot to check out the area, which police had closed for several blocks around the burning building.

While there were a few homes off the commercial district that included an LA Fitness and a few gas stations that could be seen before the barricades, no residents could be found due to the shelter-in-place order and freezing temperatures.

A a press conference Wednesday morning, officials discussed the community outpouring they have received from residents for their efforts fighting the fire and keeping people safe.

"We are overwhelmed by the community support," Abington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy said during a press conference on Wednesday morning. "People have been dropping food food, desserts, and bottles of water. We've received hoagies and cheesesteaks. I think we've all put on a few pounds."

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(Dino Ciliberti/Patch)