The Roadster Factory (TRF) Fire

[Kenrow]

Bad news for TR owners:

[Dave McDonald]

Well, I’m no Firefighter but there didn’t seem to be much urgency about the Fire crew to try to put the fire out. 
Apart from the water jet from the elevated ladder there seemed to be lots of guys wandering about doing very little. 
The white gable building to the left with smoke billowing out of the roof seemed to be getting no attention until very late in proceedings when the TR6 was reversed out. 
Dave McD

[Kenrow]

ARMAGH, Pa. – More than a dozen fire companies from two counties were called out around 1 a.m. Monday for what officials are describing as a total-loss commercial structure fire on the 300 block of Killen Road in Indiana County.

Nearly 12 hours later, crews were still at the scene, dousing the rubble of The Roadster Factory in water.

"I would think we're going to be here for 20 hours," Armagh Fire Chief Tom Fry said. "And then we're probably going to get called back."

The state police fire marshal has been contacted to investigate the cause of the fire at the Armagh location, he said.

The roughly 48,000-square-foot facility was engulfed in flames throughout the early hours of the morning while more than 100 firefighters surrounded the structure and tried to contain the blaze.

As the sun rose on Christmas morning, all that was left was a gutted brick structure in the front of the business and smoldering ruins behind.

Firefighters managed to pull a few antique cars from the showroom. The vehicles later sat on the lawn in front of the factory, but the full extent of the loss was unknown.

[Don H.]

Local reportage here  Heartbreaking news.

https://www.tribdem.com/news/roadster-factory-a-total-loss-after-christmas-morning-fire-armagh-chief-says/article_9fd287e2-a330-11ee-90de-7319c0164473.html

 

[rcreweread]

Didn’t TRF have several of the Le Man TRS cars and a stock of Sabrina engines? If they have been destroyed, that will be a major loss to the Triumph community.

Fingers crossed they were somewhere else

cheers Rich 

[Deggers]

KDKA TV News report from CBS Pittsburgh.

 

[Don H.]

35 minutes ago, rcreweread said:

Didn’t TRF have several of the Le Man TRS cars and a stock of Sabrina engines? If they have been destroyed, that will be a major loss to the Triumph community.

Fingers crossed they were somewhere else

cheers Rich 

Albert Runyan sold those several yesrs ago as he worked to settle Charles Runyan’s estate.

[TR NIALL]

1 minute ago, Don H. said:

Albert Runyan sold those several yesrs ago as he worked to settle Charles Runyan’s estate.

I think you’ll find some made their way across to the U.K. 

[tr graham]

Both of the TRs 926 HP & 929 HP are still in the USA with new guardians, along with the Sabrina engine parts that went with them . 
graham

[TR NIALL]

2 minutes ago, tr graham said:

Both of the TRs 926 HP & 929 HP are still in the USA with new guardians, along with the Sabrina engine parts that went with them . 
graham

Thanks Graham I thought you may have gained a few Spares for your ongoing project.

[tr graham]

Nial

we are fully up and running in the Sabrina dept ,hopefully finish the whole project this year .

graham

[Kenrow]

[super6al]

Terribly sad news. Can only imagine how much has been lost & hope they can salvage the business at some point. My son lives in Texas so whenever we visit I order parts from TRF & collect them from his house. Always found TRF parts were good quality & reasonably priced.

[roy53]

On 12/25/2023 at 7:58 PM, Dave McDonald said:

Well, I’m no Firefighter but there didn’t seem to be much urgency about the Fire crew to try to put the fire out. 
Apart from the water jet from the elevated ladder there seemed to be lots of guys wandering about doing very little. 
The white gable building to the left with smoke billowing out of the roof seemed to be getting no attention until very late in proceedings when the TR6 was reversed out. 
Dave McD

I must agree with Dave

 

[AndyR100]

51 minutes ago, roy53 said:

I must agree with Dave

 

If I remember correctly, the recovery of property is well down the list of priorities for firefighters these days - Life, safety and containment come well before suppression and property.

[michaeldavis39]

Massive problems for the fire dept, damaged hoses with poor leaky connections, lack of water- no wonder they just looked like they were stood watching it burn- what could they do

Edited December 27, 2023 by michaeldavis39

[Don H.]

Albert Runyan posted some post-fire photos from 27 December 2023 to the “Triumphs List” listserv.  Just heartbreaking  

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPGvBUqtkb2YhUsWRTOxoKJBVuOILgsZnWR9ueg6JwV-RDptL5adZd4xfNuWuTCbQ?pli=1&key=MGdsZ1VNZTVTMmhtcEk5TGkzREs1ZzZrY2dyYzhB

[Hamish]

Here’s a direct link

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPGvBUqtkb2YhUsWRTOxoKJBVuOILgsZnWR9ueg6JwV-RDptL5adZd4xfNuWuTCbQ?pli=1&key=MGdsZ1VNZTVTMmhtcEk5TGkzREs1ZzZrY2dyYzhB