Temporary shelter-in-place lifted following recycling facility fire in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — For hours, firefighters have battled to get control of a fire at a metal recycling business.

A Channel 7 viewer sent us this video of the fire and smoke on Thursday morning in Springfield.

Teresa Herzog noticed the smoke plume from across town.

“Yes, I did. Way far away. Plus, I was looking at Facebook, and that’s where I first noticed it,” Herzog said.

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Springfield Fire said they got the call at 9:17 a.m.

“It is the scrap yard. We have a fire. We need the fire department right away,” an employee at the recycling business told 911.

People who saw the plumes of smoke also called 911.

“It’s something that is burning and it’s very hot to the point where it’s like charcoal black smoke,” a caller said.

Fire Chief Jacob King said he was in touch with the Ohio EPA and the Clark County Combined Health District.

“And they had a recommendation that we do a shelter-in-place order,” King said.

That order was in place for two hours for homes and businesses within a quarter mile downwind of the scene.

The Clark County EMA mapped out the area in a post on social media.

The fire started at a business where firefighters said workers cut down and shred metal to recycle it.

“There’s cars, there’s propane tanks, oxygen tanks, refrigerators, metal cabinets, just about anything,” King said.

News Center 7 could HEAR the pops of small explosions from some of those tanks as firefighters worked to put out the flames.

King said it’s possible that the tools workers use to cut up metal may have thrown sparks that may have started the fire.

But the exact cause is under investigation.

We will continue to follow this story.

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