Indiana recycling plant fire emits toxic smoke: Reports
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Residents within a half-mile of the fire were given the order to evacuate.
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A large fire seen at a plastic manufacturing facility in Indiana. (Twitter)
About 2,000 people were given evacuation orders after a fire broke out at a recycling facility in Richmond, Indiana, on Tuesday afternoon. The fire is expected to continue for several days, as per local officials.
"The smoke is definitely toxic ... And honestly this fire is going to burn for a few days. So it is a big enough fire that it is just not going to be tonight, it is going to burn a while," Indiana State Fire Marshal Steve Jones told journalists.
Richmond Fire Chief Tim Brown reported that when firefighters arrived at the site on Tuesday, they discovered a semi-trailer ablaze in flames behind one of the plant's buildings. The trailer was filled with an "unknown type of plastics," and the fire eventually spread to nearby stacks of plastics and the structure, as per Brown.
Residents within a half-mile of the fire were given the order to evacuate, although Jones noted that the order could change if the wind changes direction. Residents in the east and northeast, who are not in the evacuation zone but are downwind of it, were urged to stay put and bring their pets inside.
BREAKING: Massive industrial fire in Richmond, Indiana breaks out at a local recycling plant.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 11, 2023
Residents nearby have been told to evacuate.pic.twitter.com/OgMe2r9PyP
One firefighter suffered an ankle injury after falling and was later treated and discharged from a hospital, Brown said.
There were no other recorded injuries and everyone who was employed at the building when emergency personnel arrived has been located, he added.
“The cause of the fire is unknown and likely won’t be known until after the fire has been extinguished. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is on scene to assist with the investigation.” Wayne County Emergency Management Agency officials said.
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