Large warehouse fire brings back memories of intense fire in 2004

MORE: Former Middletown Paperbord building unstable with parts collapsing after intense fire

On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 22, 2004, fire broke out in the four-story brick building that housed Recker Custom Woodworking. When firefighters arrived, just like Friday night, they found heavy smoke and fire rolling out of the building that fronted Girard Avenue.

The building collapsed just minutes after firefighters got out. Two of the department’s fire truck sustained damage from the heat and falling brick. Fire investigators said then that determining a definitive cause of the fire would be difficult due to damage to the building.

The Recker building was eventually demolished.