Three workers were injured yesterday afternoon when a massive fire destroyed a recycling plant in Tarrant County, Texas.
Tarrant County Recycling Plant Fire Visible for 30 Miles
The February 25th fire at the Advanced Foam Recycling headquarters, located at 2525 Handley Ederville Road in Richland Hills, erupted sometime around 12:30 p.m. Flames and billowing clouds of thick, black smoke were visible 30 miles from the plant.
The Richland Hills Fire Department was one of nine responding to the blaze, including Fort Worth, Haltom City, Hurst, Bedford, Colleyville, Keller, Grapevine, and North Richland Hills.
Authorities indicated that crews would likely be working through the night to extinguish the flames.
3 Workers Treated for Non-life-Threatening Injuries
“It’s been contained to that one-story building,” said Richland Hills Police Department Captain Sheena McEachran in a news conference Thursday afternoon. “The roof has collapsed.”
It’s not clear how many workers were inside the 134,000 square foot facility when the fire erupted. But according to plant management, around 100 people work there during the day and 70 in the evening.
One person had already been transported to the hospital in a private vehicle when first responders arrived on the scene. Two other workers were taken to the hospital via ambulance.
So far, authorities have not identified any of the victims or disclosed the nature of their injuries. But they do not appear to be life-threatening.
Cause of Advanced Foam Recycling Fire Remains Unknown
The plumes of smoke generated by the fire did raise questions about air quality, but Captain McEachran indicated that was not a concern.
“The smoke right now is all going toward the south, which is again away from the residential area,” she said.
There was no need to evacuate the area. However, Haltom City Emergency Management advised anyone downwind or southeast of the fire to stay inside and ensure windows and doors are closed.
By 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, the blaze had been contained to one building. It was still burning as of 9:30 p.m., and officials anticipated that crews would remain on the scene through this morning.
It’s too early to know exactly what caused the fire. McEachran was unaware of any code enforcement problems at the Advanced Foam Recycling plant before the incident.
An official investigation will begin once the fire has been extinguished.
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