Hillsborough County fire crews faced a rigorous challenge earlier today as they tackled a substantial three-alarm fire at a local auto salvage yard in Riverview, an operation that consumed several hours before bringing the flames under control. The fire, first reported at around 2:47 a.m. at B&D Towing and Recovery, swept through numerous stacks of automobiles and parts, creating a scene described by fire officials as "a pretty significant amount of fire," necessitating a defensive approach to manage the inferno, reported FOX 13 News.
During a news briefing, Chief Rob Herrin elaborated on the complexity of the situation, revealing that some of the vehicles involved were stripped of gasoline and tires which means it was just metal and other car parts burning, others were intact and posed additional risks, Herrin said, "Some of them are stripped, meaning there’s no gasoline in them, there’s no tires on them, it’s just metal and any other parts inside the car that’s burning. There are other stacks that are not stripped, so we’re keeping a safe distance from it," according to an interview with WFLA.
It wasn't until nearly five and a half hours later, shortly before 8 a.m., that the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) could declare the blaze under control, with efforts shifting towards extinguishing resilient hot spots, a task described by officials as an extensive operation due to the scale and scope of the fire, as detailed by Tampa Bay Times. Thankfully, amidst the sea of charred metal and the towering fingers of flame that demanded the attention of over 21 units and multiple agencies, there were no injuries reported.
The fire unfolded about half a mile east of Old U.S. Highway 41, near Progress Village, though its cause remains under investigation, and no further information has been released by fire officials at the time.
