North Toledo plant fire ruled unintentional

7/1/2011

Toledo fire authorities Friday said the fire the day before at a debris pile at North Toledo metals recycler was ruled unintentional.

The fire was reported about 2:40 p.m., and employees were evacuated. Even an hour later, a column of thick black smoke could be seen for miles around.

By 10 p.m., work crews at OmniSource Corp., 5130 North Detroit Ave., were using a crane to pull apart the debris pile so firefighters could douse hot spots. Firefighters extinguished the hot spots by 11:30 p.m., at which time they left the scene, according to the fire report.

One firefighter was taken to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center for heat-related issues, Toledo fire Lt. Dan Whitacre said. His condition was unknown Thursday night.

The fire damage was estimated at $150,000, according to the fire report. The exact cause of the fire had not been determined.

The loss from a daylong fire at the facility in 2009 exceeded $2 million and caused extensive damage to conveyors and equipment that grind up junked vehicles.

OmniSource collects, processes, and resells a wide variety of scrap metal, according to its Web site. The North Toledo facility is a collection yard and a processor of ferrous and nonferrous metals.