A two-alarm fire at New York Wire Co. in York City caused an estimated $10,000 in damage Thursday night, according to a city fire official.

The fire in a tower above the roof of the 441 E. Market St. plant was reported at 9:47 p.m., said Acting Chief David Michaels with York City Fire/Rescue Services.

The blaze was blamed on overheated coating that came off wires made at the business.

The coated wires travel up into the tower to dry, and remnants that came off the wire caught fire in a bag that was out of the range of the building's fire suppression system, Michaels said.

"It was a pretty significant fire," he said.

The blaze sent a large plume of smoke spewing across parts of the northern end of the city.

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Firefighters work through smoke to battle a two-alarm fire in a tower at New York Wire Co. on East Market Street in York City Thursday night. (Bil Bowden)

Second alarm: Fire officials were initially alerted to the blaze by an alarm but a company employee also called 911.

Firefighters had to battle the fire from the exterior of the tower and attacked it from both sides of the building.

A second alarm was struck because of the difficult access to the tower and because it's hot in that part of the building, Michaels said.

Firefighters from five fire departments responded to the blaze.

It took firefighters about a half-hour to put out the fire.

No injuries were reported. However, a fire hose laid across East Philadelphia Street sprang a leak, sending a geyser of water about three stories into the air, possibly as the result of being run over by at least two vehicles before it was charged with water.

About 20 employees were inside the business at the time of the fire and were evacuated, Michaels said.

Wire production at the business was expected to continue Thursday night as workers avoided the affected part of the building.

"They're going to continue to operate," Michaels said. "It's not going to affect their operations."

- Reach Greg Gross at ggross@yorkdispatch.com.