— Muskogee firefighters battled a blaze in a building at V&M TCA that reportedly caused nearly $100,000 in damage.

Muskogee Fire Chief Derek Tatum said the fire started late Thursday night in a straightening machine in what is referred to as the “straightening building” at the plant at 3800 Port Place.

V&M TCA is a division of V&M Star, a Youngstown, Ohio, company that produces “seamless oil county tubular goods, line and standard pipe, coupling stock and mechanical tube,” according to the company’s website.

The straightening machine — called a Bronx straightener — straightens out pieces of pipe, Vince Bevacqua, V&M TCA spokesman, said.

Tatum said hydraulic fuel from the machine ignited, sending flames all over the building, including the ceiling.

“From what they said, it was everywhere,” Tatum said. “On the ceiling and other pieces of equipment.”

The fire was being fueled, Tatum said, by a large amount of hydraulic fuel that kept the fire burning for about two hours.

“It was very, very hot, from what they tell me, because of that fuel source,” Tatum said.

The report indicated the fire call came in at 10:20 p.m. and was reported as an oil fire, he said.

The last fire company went into service at 11:41 and the blaze was put out around midnight, Tatum said. Crews applied water and foam to the fire because the fuel burning was a hydrocarbon accelerant.

Twelve firefighters responded to the fire.

Tatum said $20,000 of damage was done to equipment, and $50,000 in damage was done to the building and its contents.

Bevacqua said the company hadn’t made an official ruling on the monetary cost of the damage, pending further investigation.

“What I can tell you is the fire procedures put in place were followed exactly as they were supposed to be,” Bevacqua said. “We’re also pleased to say no employees were hurt in the fire.”

Tatum said one firefighter was treated for debris that struck him in the eye while fighting the fire.

Reach Dylan Goforth at (918) 684-2903 or dgoforth@muskogeephoenix.com.