By Jim Hannah
The Cincinnati Enquirer

A Covington firefighter works Tuesday to quell a stubborn blaze at the Firestone Building Products Company on Boron Drive that fed on rigid foam insulation made at the plant. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

COVINGTON - Latonia residents reported no respiratory problems after a warehouse fire broke out at the Firestone Building Products Co. plant Tuesday.

Concerned the smoke could be a health hazard for people with respiratory problems, Kenton County officials activated their new telephone alert system.

A computer called 944 households downwind of the plant within 40 minutes. The recording recommended that residents close their doors and windows, turn off air conditioners and not go outside. The advisory was in effect from about 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Ed Burk, director of homeland security and emergency management services for the county, said it appeared most people in the neighborhood were at work during the advisory. Answering machines answered at about 500 of the residences.

The fire broke out at 1 a.m. inside the plant at 4301 Boron Drive. The facility, located in a former Coca-Cola Bottling plant, manufactures rigid foam insulation commonly used in commercial buildings.

More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze for nearly 12 hours before extinguishing it shortly after noon.

Covington Fire Chief Joe Heringhaus said officials wanted to err on the cautious side when issuing the alert.

A Firestone spokesman downplayed the possible health risks of the smoke.

"There is nothing in the smoke to cause an elevated health risk," spokesman Dan MacDonald said from his office in Nashville.

There were no damage estimates available Tuesday, but MacDonald said his company would rebuild.

E-mail jhannah@enquirer.com