UPDATED: Firefighters Douse Flare-Up at Delanco Dietz & Watson

UPDATE: Burlington County freeholders have announced they will forgo a significant insurance claim in order to expedite the recovery and rebuild of the Dietz & Watson facility in Delanco, according to the Burlington County Times.

As a loan provider to the company, the county holds a second position to the mortgage company on the property, but will pass up its portion of the claims, provided Dietz & Watson uses the claims to repair and restore the warehouse, the Times reports.
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A flare-up in the rubble of the Dietz & Watson warehouse in Delanco kept firefighters busy for two hours Wednesday night.

Delanco Fire Chief Ron Holt said there are still multiple "hot spots" among the ruins of the facility—buried under the remains of the building—and it seems one of them became active when it was exposed to the air by demolition crews working for Dietz & Watson shortly before 8 p.m.

And this wasn't some tiny flicker either, Holt explained. "It was a pretty good size area. When I got there, I said, 'We've got to put water on it.'"

Firefighters from Delanco and an engine from Riverside doused the flames and got it under control in about an hour and a half.

But there's nothing to be alarmed about, Holt said. Flare-ups are normal, especially with a fire the size of the one that destroyed the Dietz & Watson distribution center.

"The fire is basically smothered," the chief explained. "It doesn't have the airflow it needs to get going again."

Once the smolder is exposed however, it can easily "get going."

Holt said he figures it'll be at least a week before all the hot spots are extinguished, and expects firefighters to have to visit the site for more flare-ups.

Investigators still haven't determined the cause of the blaze—arson was ruled out early on—but have narrowed the origin down to a 10-square foot area, according to Holt. 

He said Dietz & Watson has indicated it plans to rebuild the facility once the wreckage is torn down and removed.

The more than 100 employees who were working at the Delanco center were moved to the company's Philadelphia facility following the fire.