Bantam Jeep building in Butler destroyed by fire
The former Bantam Jeep factory administration building in Butler’s Lyndora neighborhood was gutted by fire early Sunday morning.
Fire crews were called to the former factory, on Bantam Avenue behind Pullman Square, at 1:41 a.m., according to a Butler County 911 supervisor.
The fire was so intense it required the efforts of more than 10 companies to extinguish, emergency officials said.
No one was injured, and the fire was fully brought under control shortly before 6 a.m.
In 1940, the American Bantam Car Company of Butler was awarded a contract to produce reconnaissance cars capable of hauling soldiers, supplies and heavy artillery across rough terrain. It came to be called the Jeep.
After its initial run of 2,675 vehicles, the Bantam factory never produced another one, according to the Butler County Historical Society. Instead it began manufacturing military trailers, torpedo motors and other items until it was purchased by Armco in 1956.
Armco tore down the factory, but the brick administration building remained.
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.
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