Building 11 Foam Insulation Burns During Renovation

Fire broke out at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Glenn Research Center in Brooke Park, OH, Wednesday.

Officials said foam insulation caught fire in Building 11 about 8:45 a.m., the deicing research building, ONN affiliate WEWS reported. Firefighters said the foam burned away from the walls, leaving the steel building frame. The fire was quickly extinguished.

No injuries were reported and no damage estimate was immediately available, according to the Zanesville Times-Recorder.

Office employees working in the building were evacuated safely, said Glenn spokesman John Hairston.

"Any fire is a big fire around a testing facility," Hairston said. "In these situations, our Number One priority is safety."

The 40-year-old building was in the process of being renovated and officials are reportedly investigating the possibility that a welding torch may have contributed to the blaze.

NASA Glenn has more than 1,667 employees and about 1,450 contract employees. It consists of 24 major facilities and handles work on the module that powers the crew exploration vehicle schedule to replace the space shuttle.

The work being done to support the current shuttle flight was not affected, according to the Associated Press.

FMI: www.grc.nasa.gov