SAYLOR PAINTERS: Painters Union Location Catches Fire | News

The flames started spreading at a quarter past ten. By the time word spread to Tammy Payne…

“My father-in-law called me.  He was across the street.”

The damage was done.

“This side over here seems to be like a warehouse.  There’s a main wall running down it, and the fire started on the south side of that wall, which was perfect for us.”

It was easy for firefighters to contain, but its sure tough for the woman who works as a secretary here to watch.

“Shock.  Disbelief.  Um… It’s heartbreaking.”

Tammie says this isn’t just a place for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades to hold their meetings.  This building is a tool that people use to get ahead.  The Union’s Apprenticeship Training Center is where painters, dry-wall finishers, and glazers come to learn skills to earn a living.

“We teach C.P.R, we teach forklift training, all kinds of training here, anything that they need to succeed.”

There’s space for hands-on learning and just last year, they added three new classrooms.  The next round of classes is supposed to start in September. Yet, if there’s one bright side to this, it is the timing.

“During the week we have apprenticeship for our glazers.  They could have been here.  We could have had a staff meeting going on.”

But people are spared.  And if there was ever a building where you would expect the owners to pull together around a challenge, Tammie confirms this is it.

“Just holding onto the hope and faith and we’re going to get through this.  We get through everything and we’re one big family, here.”

In Saylor Township, Dan Winters, Channel 13 News.