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Fire At Clearwater's Aerosonic Facility Under Investigation

News Channel 8 photo by TODD DAVIS

ATF Special Agent Christopher Porreca (center) and Jeff Tobergte from the state Department of Environmental Protection (left), along with Clearwater Fire & Rescue, survey the area where a fire broke out Friday night at Aerosonic's facility in Clearwater.

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By STEVEN GIRARDI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 12, 2008

Updated: 08/12/2008 05:04 pm

CLEARWATER - CLEARWATER - State fire marshal investigators sifted through the rubble at the Aerosonic Corp. building, trying to find out what started a weekend fire, spokesman Samuel Venzeio said today.

"We're getting pretty close,'' Venzeio said this afternoon. He said they may have an answer by Wednesday.

Investigators finally got inside the 40,000-square-foot facility after getting clearance from the Department of Environmental Protection, which was testing the air quality. The building, at 1212 N. Hercules Ave., is used to assemble aircraft equipment and houses various chemicals.

Aerosonic officials were speaking with insurance adjusters.

"We're nowhere near getting a damage estimate," company spokeswoman Pam Lagano said. "There are so many factors involved."

She said plans were being made to move about 40 employees whose jobs were disrupted to the company's facility in Earlysville, Va., near Charlottesville.

Those jobs recently were transferred to Clearwater from Virginia, where about 20 employees remain, company Executive Vice President Mark Perkins said Monday. Aerosonic employs 180 people in Clearwater.

The fire broke out about 11 p.m. Friday and burned more than three hours. About 75 firefighters from several departments battled the fire. No one was in the building at the time, and there were no injuries.

Investigators have been at the scene since the fire, as company operations continued at other parts of the facility.

Reporter Steven Girardi can be reached at (727) 451-2333 or sgirardi@tampatrib.com.

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