An explosion and subsequent fire occurred at a gun store in Clermont County, causing considerable damage and prompting a substantial emergency response. Miami Township Fire Chief Dave Jetter confirmed that the incident began in a storage shed behind Just Guns & Ammo on State Route 131 and extensive damage was inflicted on the shed and neighboring businesses.
The blaze, which erupted around 4 p.m. yesterday, resulted in the shutdown of State Route 131 between Sugar Camp Road and Buckwheat Road to Mt. Vernon Road while crews battled the fire. According to LOCAL12, residents in the area reported hearing loud booms akin to fireworks before seeing smoke fill the sky. "It just caught me off guard," said Chris Pickelheimer, a local resident, acknowledging the initial disorientation the explosion caused.
Chief Jetter also told FOX19, "We believe that the fire and the exposure went through the attic, it’s a total loss to the building behind guns and ammo where they were storing their ammunition." An additional concern for the firefighters was the weather, as at least one responder had to be treated for heat exposure but is expected to be okay.
Adjacent businesses were impacted by the fire, with Paul Knepp, the owner of Gemini Swimming Pools & Supplies, stating, "The fire in the shed was intense. When we came outside and we walked over around the corner we saw the shed on fire and that fire just blew this way and it caught our building on fire." Knepp shared that his business experienced major water damage, as well as a mostly destroyed roof. The multi-agency response involved at least nine different departments which had to adapt to heat conditions by frequently rotating crews, as described by Chief Jetter in an interview obtained by FOX19.
The joint investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing and involves local fire departments in addition to support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. While the exact cause remains uncertain, both fireworks and ammunition are believed to have played a role in igniting the fire. No other injuries were reported, and the area has since reopened to traffic following the investigation.
