NewsWildfire Watch

Actions

Pacific Steel & Recycling Friday fire update; no wrongdoing suspected

Posted at 6:58 PM, Dec 17, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-18 00:26:17-05

HELENA – The Helena Fire Department say the cause of the rubbish fire at Pacific Steel & Recycling on Friday December 14 is still undetermined, but officials do not suspect any wrongdoing.

Full crews from both Helena Fire Stations initially responded around 1:30pm to the fire.

Officials confirmed the fuels burning were tires, insulation and other refuse in a scrap pile that spewed thick black smoke into the sky.

Helena Fire say their staff treat every fire as a hazardous materials incident and were each equipped with a self-contained breathing apparatus.

Crews are thankful there wasn’t much wind that day and most of the most plume went up and away from people limiting their exposure.

Helena Assistant Fire Chief Mike Chambers want to thank all the volunteer responders for helping get the fire controlled very quickly.

“We had West Valley respond to the scene, we had Montana city respond with both of their aerial devices which assisted with elevated water streams. It was a huge help,” said Chambers, “Lots of help right away and as far as an ugly, dirty, nasty fire in the middle of town it really could not have gone better.”

Helena Fire would also like to remind people to please pull to the side of the road when they hear or see engines responding to a situation.

Fire officials say their trucks are big and usually need extra turning space.