Warehouse fire at Kimball International causes heavy damage, disrupts operations

Fire crews responded at 4:10 p.m. on December 19 after a call about a burning vehicle at the Kimball International warehouse on HRJ Lane and found a larger blaze already in progress. Jasper Fire Chief Kenny Hochgesang said crews arrived to find a minivan, a Kimball International trailer and the building bay doors on fire. "Flames were above the building," he said.

The trailer parked in front of a bay door was filled with cardboard bundles destined for recycling, and the fire spread from the trailer to the building exterior. Smoke then filled the interior, forcing the few employees on site to evacuate. Jasper firefighters remained on scene until about 6:25 p.m.

Jasper responded with 26 firefighters, a ladder truck and four engines, and officials requested that the Huntingburg Volunteer Fire Department respond with its ladder truck. Chief Hochgesang said the extra help was requested early out of concern the blaze could escalate. "We felt early on that this building could get away from us, so we called them for assistance," he said.

After extinguishing visible flames, Kimball personnel and firefighters tore apart the trailer to ensure the cardboard bundles were fully out and would not reignite. The building exterior sustained heavy damage in the area of the fire, and the interior sustained smoke damage. The minivan and recycling trailer were deemed total losses.

Chief Hochgesang said it was unclear whether the minivan caught fire before it struck the trailer, but investigators noted the fire appeared to begin in the vehicle passenger side wheel well. No one was with the minivan when responders arrived. An ambulance was called to an injured individual at Sternberg’s 24 and More while crews were on scene. Police confirmed the person was taken to the hospital but have not released further details. No other injuries were reported.

Kimball employees closed the building after the fire was extinguished and crews ventilated the facility. For Dubois County residents the incident highlights the hazards of combustible recycling loads stored near active bays and the operational disruption a single fire can cause. The large response underscores the value of interagency mutual aid, and the loss of the trailer and cardboard bundles could interrupt recycling processing and on site logistics until repairs and cleanup are completed.