Wednesday afternoon at approximately 5:45pm Manchester Fire-Rescue was notified of a fire at Kirchhoff Automotive Manufacturing in the Coffee County Industrial Park. Fire units arrived on scene and reported a large fire in the rear of the facility in a container storage area.

Command requested a response from AEDC Fire, Tullahoma Fire, Hillsboro, Hickerson Station, Summitville and New Union volunteer fire departments for manpower and water supply.

Manchester Fire units attacked the fire from both sides of the facility. Responding mutual aid departments began arriving on scene and providing more manpower and suppression assistance.

The main body of the fire was in the container storage area on the rear of the facility. All crews worked diligently to control the fire and prevent the spread of fire into the main facility, which was accomplished.

The main body of the fire was knocked down around 7:30pm. Crews then began checking Kirchhoff Automotive for any further fire extension inside the facility. There was some flame spread into the facility thru some of the bay doors on the rear of the facility.

Manchester Fire Chief George Chambers said a total of 6 local fire departments provided assistance during this major fire, along with the outstanding assistance provided by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Coffee County Sheriff's Department, Manchester Police, Coffee County EMS, Coffee County EMA, Coffee County 911 Center, local citizens and other government agencies that assisted firefighters on scene and after the incident.

Kirchhoff Automotive says that the plant was evacuated in under 6 minutes with no injuries or casualties.

The fire is under investigation by Manchester Fire Rescue and TBI Arson Investigators.