Martin City fire destroys American Waste Systems building. “It cost me everything.”

By Kathy Feist

At 5:25 this morning, Officer John Collins with Orion Security was on a routine patrol of the Martin City business district when he spotted smoke and flames coming from American Waste Systems east of 133rd and Holmes Road. He called 911. Collins then made a beeline to the company’s Blue Ridge Boulevard entrance to check out the source. He found flames coming from the  maintenance storage facility’s roof on its west side. Fire crews arrived at 5:34 am. 

Upon arrival, crews found a fully involved fire in the single-story facility. Fire hoses were hooked up to the nearest hydrant found west on Holmes Road, and stretched across Union Pacific train tracks.  This resulted in the rail lines and road traffic being shut down for the next few hours. 

In all, there were 11 KCFD response units from various fire departments dispatched to the fire. Fire crews initially worked from atop extended fire truck ladders to contain the fire. KCFD Hazmat crews worked to contain leaking oil stored in the building.

By 9:30 am, the fire was contained and the train tracks and street were reopened. The cause of the fire was reported “undetermined.” The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has been called to help with appropriate Hazmat cleanup.

American Waste Systems owner Gale Holsman, Jr. who was in Florida at the time expressed gratitude to both Orion Security, which contracts with the Martin City Community Improvement District, and the Kansas City Fire Department. “If it wasn’t for the Martin City security operator, it could have been so much worse,” he said. There are five buildings on the property. The one that caught fire, a 2400 square foot building, was the largest. 

“I’m also grateful to the fire department for locating and fighting the fire under those conditions,” he says. Temperatures were recorded below 0 degrees and included snowy and icy terrain. 

Holsman says the maintenance storage facility contained trucks, sweepers, power charge equipment, welders, and $70,000 worth of tools for the street sweeping company. “It cost me everything,” he said. 

American Waste Systems provides street sweeping, construction and event site cleaning and dumpster, portable toilet, and stage rentals. Its headquarters are located a few miles east on Grandview Road. The location in Martin City was used for equipment storage and for driver check in. The damaged building was the primary maintenance facility. The property is insured. No one was injured. 

Holsman was baffled by what could have caused the fire. Rather, he has chosen to stay focused on what lies ahead. “We have to clear it up,” he said, “and start all over again.”