WESTERLY – The Bradford Dyeing Association Inc. remains closed after a fire yesterday evening that forced the evacuation of dozens of nearby homes. No injuries were reported in the blaze, the cause of which was not yet known.
Bradford Dye does intend to reopen but doesn’t know when, according to spokesman Gregg Perry of Prism Public Affairs, who issued the following statement this afternoon:
“Bradford Dyeing Association is working with its advisors, contractors and others to determine what steps are necessary to bring the facility back into operation.
“This company has been part of the economic fabric of the greater Westerly-area for more than 80 years, and it is the company’s intention to resume operations. However, at this time, it is unclear when that might happen, and for now, the facility remains closed.
“BDA employees should not report to work until further notice.
“We care a great deal about our employees, and we are concerned about the hardship this unfortunate fire will have on the men and women who work at BDA. We are working to find a solution to help them, and we will be talking to our employees to provide them with updated information. We will also explore what assistance the state may be able to provide for these employees.
“The company and the Grills family are thankful that no one was injured in this fire, and they are particularly grateful for the quick response of the many firefighters and police officers from Southern Rhode Island and Connecticut who responded to the call for help.”
The Bradford Dyeing Association Inc., founded in 1911, employs about 200 workers at its plant in the Bradford section of Westerly. It specializes in the printing, coating and finishing of camouflage and other specialty fabrics. In 1995, it established Bradford Fabrics Inc. to market its products to the military, law enforcement, hunting and health care sectors. Additional information is available at www.bdadye.com.
