KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A fire at a metal recycling facility in Kalamazoo took more than a million gallons of water and hours of work to put out.
The fire at the recycling business along Kings Highway was reported around 7:37 p.m. on Monday, March 9. The large flames and plumes of black smoke were visible from nearly every corner of the neighborhood, with multiple people calling 911 to report the situation, according to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.
Crews battled the fire through the night, using more than one million gallons of water to get it under control. Around 4 a.m. on Tuesday morning, officers reported the fire was under control, though the battle against hot spots continued well into the morning.
Staff with the recycling facility used heavy equipment to move the charred metal so the last remaining embers could be snuffed out.
The fire only impacted the metal waiting for recycling, per the public safety department. No one was injured by the fire.
The smoke did carry some material into the air. Kalamazoo's Public Services Department noted elevated levels of particulate matter in the area of the fire between midnight and 6 a.m. The amount of smoke and chemicals in the air was enough to irritate people's lungs and potentially cause breathing issues, per the department.
Air quality levels returned to normal around 9 a.m., said the city.
Kalamazoo notified the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy about the potential for the water used to fight the fire, which could carry harmful chemicals, to flow into the Kalamazoo River. The city plans to monitor the river for signs of oil sheen on the water.
An aerial survey on Tuesday did not turn up any visible signs of contamination, according to the city.
