Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 49F. Winds light and variable..
Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 49F. Winds light and variable. Window Machine
Berea firefighters battle a large blaze on Monday at the Novelis aluminum processing plant on Mayde Road.
Berea firefighters battle a large blaze on Monday at the Novelis aluminum processing plant on Mayde Road.
The Berea Fire Department, as well as other firefighting agencies throughout the county, were praised for helping avert disaster Monday when they put out an industrial fire at the Novelis aluminum processing center on Mayde Road.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Berea City Council, Berea Fire Department Chief Shawn Sandlin said crews were called to the scene at approximately 3:30 p.m. after a blaze started inside the processing center. The initial cause of the fire is under investigation, the chief added.
Citing the blaze as probably one of the worst fires in the Berea Industrial Park, Sandlin said the situation was particularly dangerous because of the potential for spreading quickly by igniting aluminum dust, which is a byproduct of the factory’s operation.
“Once the fire started, it continued to travel through the dust,” Sandlin said. “It was a good-sized area of the whole middle section of the building. Anytime you’re dealing with aluminum dust, you run the risk of a dust explosion, then secondary fires. It was a difficult situation because we’re not allowed to use water in there.”
Water couldn’t be used to extinguish the fire because it was in the area of the factory where molten aluminum is processed. Instead, firefighters worked in 320-degree heat to remove the aluminum dust to starve the fire of fuel. Sandlin said the situation was also challenging because temperatures outside were stretching into the high 80s. In order to relieve their fellow firefighters in the intense heat, Berea’s off-duty firefighters showed up to fill in.
“Every available member of my department showed up last night to help. That’s a great testament when you get an off-duty response when they come in to help on their own time,” Sandlin said.
Sandlin also expressed appreciation for firefighters from Berea Volunteer Fire and Rescue (BVFR), who directly assisted in the effort to put out the fire.
Other agencies provided critical support, Sandlin told the council, including the City of Richmond and the Madison County Fire Department. Crews from Kirksville Fire and Redlick Fire Volunteer Fire Departments also fought the blaze two hours into the emergency, and they provided coverage of the Berea Fire Department and BVFR’s service area until the fire was extinguished. Firefighters were on the scene until 11 p.m. Monday night.
Mayor Bruce Fraley expressed appreciation for the other agencies, suggesting that through mutual assistance agreements, Berea is well-protected.
“When you look at the level of cooperation between the city of Richmond, Madison County, all of our volunteer fire departments and the army depot, we probably have the best fire coverage of anybody in the state right here in Madison County and that’s a testament to you [Sandlin] and the other cities and counties as well,” Fraley said.
Councilmembers Teresa Scenters, Jim Davis, and Cora Jane Wilson also thanked firefighters, noting if the disaster had not been contained, it could have had severe economic consequences for the city economy.
“That fire out at Novelis. What if it had been worse? What if Novelis had to shut down for a year before they built back, or it was such a bad situation that they left? What if we lost that revenue?” said Teresa Scenters in reference to a proposed pay scale adjustment.
“Shawn, the fire department, you all are awesome. Taking care of us because, like Teresa said, if we’d lost a factory, we could be in trouble,” Wilson added.
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