Staff Reports
DEXTER -- A fire destroyed one of two buildings at Pallet Recovery LLC, County Road 708, Dexter Friday night but the business opened Monday morning with a full crew working.
Manager Jason Comfort said he received a call about 10:45 p.m. alerting him to the fire. According to Dexter Fire Chief Don Seymore, the Dexter Fire Department responded at 10:50 p.m. with pumper and tanker trucks. Mutual aid was received from Bloomfield, Bernie and Essex.
While there were no injuries, Stoddard County EMS set up rehab for the firefighters on the scene. The Dexter Department was on site for approximately 4 1/2 hours.
Comfort explained the business owned by Bob and Terri Morgan opened in 1990 to rehab and recycle wood pallets. They employ seven people.The building and everything inside was lost, but "no one was hurt," he said.
The firefighters kept the 8,000 to 9,000 pallets from burning. Firefighters also placed a tarp over office equipment saving it from water damage.
The fire marshal was able to take the company's security footage to investigate how the fire started.
According to Comfort, Friday was a normal day. The workers quit at 2:30 p.m. Friday and he returned from deliveries about 4:15 p.m. He checked the property, everything was OK and ready to begin work the next day.
After the fire was out, cleanup began immediately so the company could reopen as soon as possible, since the customers' needs have to be met, he said.
"We worked all weekend to get the line back up in the second building," Comfort said. "The community stepped up and worked tirelessly. Guys showed up. There is no time to feel sorry for ourselves."
"We are still operating today just like Friday," Comfort said. "We are blessed and coming through this. We are looking at it as a teaching moment. Things don't always go right but you have to keep working and at the end of the day we are blessed. God has provided."
Comfort said, everything has been cleaned up and "contractors are coming this afternoon."