Fire at Brush Wellman leads to shop evacuation

11/7/2008

ELMORE The old cast shop at the Brush Wellman plant was evacuated for about two hours yesterday when oil put on metal alloy flared up in a furnace, causing smoke to spread to an air duct, a spokesman said.

The fire was reported at 4:20 a.m. when copper-beryllium alloy in the melting furnace caught fire from burning oil. The fire extinguished itself about 6 a.m. after more alloy this time without any oil on it was put in the furnace, said Larry Chako, a Brush Wellman spokesman.

Normally, alloy melts in the furnace without catching fire, Mr. Chako said.