DURYEA -- $50 million in damage: that's the estimate after the big fire at a warehouse and manufacturing facility.
A state police fire marshal searched for the cause Wednesday as workers at Schott Glass in Duryea showed up to see all the damage. Many of them are wondering what's next after flames caused so much destruction.
State police fire marshals have not been able to determine the cause of the fire Tuesday at Schott Glass, but they say that it is not suspicious.
They have been on scene all day trying to assess the damage, which they say is even worse than it looks.
State police fire marshals used ladders to survey the damage. They say the fire ruined at least half of the plant that makes high-tech glass for aerospace businesses and other companies.
Fire marshals say the fire left what looks like a giant sinkhole in one section of the building.
They estimate that the fire did at least $50 million in damage to the facility that was already scheduled to lay off dozens of employees this month.
"We have people that are devastated, recently Schott, that there was a downsizing happening. This on top of it does not help anything, for anyone to sleep well at night who is employed here," said Tina Dolgash with the People's Choice Federal Credit Union in Duryea.
The credit union is just across the street from Schott Glass and many employees have accounts there. Dolgash says dozens of Schott employees have called and come into the credit union, concerned about their jobs.
"We are open to have emergency loans funds available to the employees right away. If anybody feels any fear of not knowing what's going to happen," Dolgash said. "They could probably end up paying their loan until they are back to work or whatever the situation may be."
Officials with Schott Glass say the company will have to do a financial analysis of the damage in order to determine the future of the plant in Duryea. For now, it says the plan is to get the facility back up and running as quickly and safely as possible.
Although at least half of this plant was destroyed by this fire, fire marshals say other parts are completely untouched and people could safely be in there now.
They say the rest of the building that was largely untouched thanks to nearly 150 firefighters who spent about 10 hours battling the fire in freezing rain and sleet.
