Three-Alarm Fire Draws Countywide Response in 2004 Bindery Blaze

Photo by Witmer Fire Protective AssociationFirefighters operate a portable dump tank to support sustained water supply operations during the three-alarm fire.

Photo by Witmer Fire Protective AssociationWitmer and mutual aid crews advance hose lines toward the Bindery Associates building as suppression efforts intensify.

Photo by Witmer Fire Protective AssociationA heavy smoke column rises from the industrial building as apparatus line the roadway during the multi-alarm response.

Photo by Witmer Fire Protective AssociationMultiple tankers and engines supply water while ladder crews work on the roof during the early morning fire.
On 28th nov 2025 - Witmer Fire Protective Association marked Flashback Friday by revisiting a major industrial fire that occurred in the early morning hours of June 2004 at Bindery Associates. The fire quickly escalated to a three-alarm incident, drawing an extensive response from across Lancaster County.
Approximately 29 fire companies were dispatched as crews worked to control heavy fire conditions and protect nearby exposures. Large volumes of water were required, prompting tanker operations and the use of portable dump tanks to sustain firefighting efforts. Thick smoke could be seen from miles away as firefighters battled the blaze under challenging conditions.
No injuries were reported, and the coordinated multi-agency response was credited with preventing further spread of the fire. The incident remains one of the larger responses in Witmer Fire’s history and highlights the importance of mutual aid and large-scale incident coordination.