Thick black smoke billowed into the sky as fire crews tackled a significant blaze at a scrap metal refinery in Northwest Miami-Dade. The incident, which began around 11:30 a.m. yesterday, prompted a three-alarm fire at the Ferrous Processing & Trading Co. on North River Drive. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials, in a concerted effort to quell the flames, dispatched over 45 units including HazMat to the scene, according to WSVN.
Aiding the ravenous fire, more than two fireboats and ladder units worked from the water and above, as reported by NBC Miami. The severity of the fire led Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to issue an upgrade to a #ThirdAlarm, calling for additional manpower. No injuries were reported in the midst of the firefighting operations, and the cause of the conflagration remains under investigation.
Visibility issues arose as the enveloping haze disrupted travel in the vicinity of Miami International Airport. Local authorities suggested that individuals with respiratory conditions should steer clear from the affected area. Approximately 20 employees from the Ferrous Processing & Trading Company had to be evacuated as fire crews launched multiple hose lines in an aggressive attack on the fire.
By early afternoon, officials announced the fire was under control, before 2:30 p.m., according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's statement obtained by NBC Miami. While the overarching pall of smoke lessened, the full extent of the damage to the scrap metal yard and its implications for the Northwest Miami-Dade environment and economy have yet to be assessed.
