FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On behalf of Rowan County Emergency Services & Cleveland Community Fire Department
On August 30th, a three-alarm fire occurred at the Daimler Freightliner facility in Cleveland, NC. The incident prompted a unified response from over 20 agencies across Rowan, Iredell, and Davie counties, including fire, EMS, rescue, and law enforcement.
Key Facts / Points of Interest:
✅ All employees inside the facility safely evacuated without injury.
🚒 During fire suppression efforts, one firefighter fell into a small pit area within the paint booth but, with the assistance of fellow responders, was able to exit the building safely. The initial Mayday call was canceled shortly thereafter.
💧 Several firefighters experienced heat exhaustion and dehydration. The American Red Cross provided on-scene support for rehabilitation, and one firefighter was transported to the hospital for monitoring and is expected to recover.
The NC State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) are assisting with the cause and origin investigation, with Daimler Freightliner fully cooperating.
“We are grateful for the rapid, unified response from so many partner agencies that ensured this incident was contained and that all occupants and personnel remained safe,” said Kenny Payne, Chief, Cleveland Community Fire Department. “The strong collaboration between emergency responders and Daimler staff helped limit injuries during a challenging incident.”
#RowanCounty #ClevelandNC #UnifiedResponse #PublicSafety #emergencyservices
