Massive industrial fire extinguished at EMR facility in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
A massive industrial fire burned for hours in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, sending a huge plume of dark smoke into the sky.
Chopper 3 was over the scene at the EMR Recycling facility near Calcon Hook and Hook roads in Darby Township Wednesday morning as multiple fire crews fought the blaze.
In a social media post, Darby Township urged residents to avoid the area and keep windows and doors shut.
EMR said the fire started around 9:45 a.m. and was extinguished by about noon. Firefighters were still working on hot spots as of about 4 p.m. The fire was contained to the EMR facility, the company said.
In a statement, EMR said its "first priority is the safety of our workforce and the public neighboring our facilities, and we thank the firefighters of Delaware County for their support at the EMR Atlas Traders scrap metal feeder yard in Sharon Hill (Darby Township)."
No injuries have been reported. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation, according to EMR. EMR said it will also review whether lithium batteries, which are prohibited at the facility, were involved in the blaze.
The city of Philadelphia also issued an alert notifying residents that smoke is likely visible in Delaware County and beyond and could impact air quality. The health department is recommending people avoid going outside as much as possible and keep windows and doors closed.
No specific hazardous substances have been detected in the air in Philadelphia, according to the city, but people in the area should check the Breathe Philly air quality monitor.
TNT Removal & Disposal LLC said in a post on social media that it frequently works with EMR and shared a list of items that can become hazards when mixed in with other materials at a scrapyard, including propane tanks; aerosol cans; lithium-ion batteries in phones, e-bikes and other devices; car batteries; and cans of paint and solvents.
Resident says fire is concerning
Nearby resident Darryl Allen said he followed officials' advice after noticing smoke and an odor in the air.
"I left around the time the fire was being put out by the fire department, and just with concern and smelling the odor in the air, I rolled up my windows and was trying just to get out of Dodge," Allen said.
Allen, who said he has lived near the Darby Township facility for decades, said companies handling potentially hazardous or combustible materials should take additional precautions to help prevent fires.
"Definitely more caution when dealing with any type of hazardous material or things that might be combustible," Allen said. "It's always been a concern."
EMR plant in Camden the site of multiple fires in recent years
Wednesday's fire in Delaware County comes just days after EMR's facility reopened in Camden, New Jersey.
The Camden plant was shut down for weeks after experiencing multiple fires, including one most recently on May 29. The facility opened after a judge ruled officials didn't follow proper state and local rules when city council voted earlier this month to keep it closed.
However, EMR was only permitted to resume operating with a number of additional safety protocols in place.
The company has blamed its spate of fires on improperly discarded lithium-ion batteries.
A previous version of this story incorrectly indicated the fire originated in Southwest Philadelphia.
