UPDATED 1/22/26 5:30 p.m.
A massive fire that destroyed the Hensa Stamping manufacturing facility in downtown Corry Wednesday evening remains under investigation, as city officials provided additional details on the response and recovery efforts. Emergency crews were first dispatched to the first block of Pennsylvania Avenue around 4:17 p.m. and arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the large industrial building at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and East Washington Street. The fire ultimately spread the full length of the structure, which later collapsed.
UC Today spoke with Corry City Councilman and Director of Public Safety Andrew Sproveri, who said crews remained on scene until around midnight before returning to their stations. He noted that firefighters were called back again Thursday morning after reports of additional hot spots. Crews worked alongside Jackson Excavating, which brought in an excavator to help move debris so firefighters could fully extinguish remaining hot areas. Sproveri praised the effort, saying the company “did a fantastic job” assisting responders.
Four firefighters were treated for minor injuries, including smoke inhalation and wrist injuries. No serious injuries were reported, and all employees who were inside the building at the time of the fire were able to escape safely and are accounted for.
Fire departments from Erie, Crawford, and Warren counties, along with crews from Chautauqua County, New York, responded to the third-alarm fire, with some units assisting on scene and others placed on standby. Large amounts of water were used to battle the blaze, prompting city officials to ask residents to conserve water Wednesday evening. The City of Corry now says the reservoir is full and the water supply is safe to drink, though some customers may continue to experience temporary discoloration.
Pennsylvania Avenue remains closed to traffic until further notice as cleanup and safety assessments continue.
Sproveri emphasized the outpouring of support from the community during the emergency.
“I do want to thank the community and the businesses and everyone,” he said. “They donated food, water, shelter, hot hands, hand warmers — there was a whole number of things that the community did for us, and I want to thank them for that.”
Sproveri said the state fire marshall is investigating the blaze to determine the cause. City officials say additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
