Last updated 5:06 p.m. May 1, 2026.
Updated 9:16 p.m. April 30, 2026.
A Howard cabinet-making business’ shop was destroyed in a blaze that multiple fire companies battled late Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Crews responded at about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday to G.P. Cabinets, 276 Spearing Street, after multiple callers reported flames coming from the building, according to dispatch reports and Walker Township Fire Company.
Firefighters from around Centre County were on the scene throughout the night and early morning.
“The building construction and contents within made this fire a challenging one,” according to Howard Fire Company. “The building had masonry walls, with glass block windows that had been covered over both on the exterior and interior of the building. The roof was originally a flat rubber roof, with a steel girder supports, wood joists and solid wood decking and was later covered with a gable (peaked) roof and light gauge metal roofing on a wood truss system.”
Heavy fire burned inside the shop area and it took crews considerable effort to breach the covered windows. Firefighters managed to advance a line through the front door, but “had to retreat within minutes due to the extreme heat and smoke conditions and no effect from their suppression efforts,” Howard Fire Company wrote.
The fire burned through the solid wood decking of the flat roof then self-vented through the metal roofing and a cut vent performed by firefighters. Once the fire was brought under control, a track excavator was used to remove the metal roofing and steel structure and expose the burning wood material concealed under rubble.
“The excavator was also utilized to tear apart burning stacks of wood material within the shop area while the Truck company soaked down the burning material,” Howard Fire Company wrote.
Crews remained on scene throughout Thursday to extinguish hot spots, and Howard Fire Company said it was still monitoring the site on Friday as some still-buried material continued to burn.
“Our work family is so heartbroken right now,” G.P. Cabinets wrote on its Facebook page on Thursday afternoon. “We want to sincerely thank all of the brave firefighters that worked all night to save our company! We love Howard and have always done everything with a smile and helped anyone in need. Thank you again to all that came to help. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we plan our future.”
A GoFundMe established for G.P. Cabinets employees says 35 people are out of work after the fire. Founded in 2014, the company designs, builds and installs custom kitchen cabinets.
“Now, many families are facing uncertainty, struggling to cover basic living expenses and provide for their loved ones,” organizer Jenean Sunday wrote. “I am reaching out on behalf of my coworkers and neighbors who are navigating this difficult transition. The funds raised through this campaign will go directly to helping these families with daily essentials—paying bills, putting food on the table, and keeping up with other necessary expenses—while they search for new employment opportunities. Every dollar will help ease the burden and provide a bit of hope during this challenging time.”
Howard Fire Company thanked mutual aid fire and EMS companies, the borough, Centre County Emergency Management and Robinson Septic for their assistance, as well as businesses and individuals who donated food and beverages to responders on Thursday morning.
They also urged support for G.P. Cabinets staff.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the employees and owners of GP Cabinets,” the fire company wrote. “We hope they are able to rebuild and stay in the Borough of Howard as one of the few larger employers in the Borough and have always generously supported the Howard Fire Company. We hope our community is able to come together to help support those that were affected by this tragedy. There are some donation and fund raising efforts currently going on to help those employees who have been affected, please consider helping out if you are able.”
Crews used the borough hydrant system for about 45 minutes before switching to relay pumping and tanker shuttle operations, with Howard Fire Company estimating more than 1 million gallons of water was utilized to contain the blaze. Though the company got off the hydrant system as soon as possible, some residents experienced low water pressure Thursday morning as a result of the suppression efforts.
