Scrap metal pile catches fire at Gerdau Steel site in Monroe
A pile of scrap metal caught fire at an industrial site in Monroe, Michigan, sending black and gray smoke billowing into the air Wednesday morning.
The it got the call at 6:56 a.m. on a report of the fire at Gerdau Special Steel's Monroe Mill at 3000 East Front Street, which is east of I-75's Exit 13. The Monroe Fire Department was assisted on scene by the Monroe Township Fire Department.
The fire was contained to the scrap metal pile, and no injuries were reported.
"Industrial fires such as this can pose serious hazards," the public safety department's report said. "Fires involving scrap metal are particularly dangerous due to the intense heat, potential presence of unknown reactive metals, and the risk of toxic fumes."
A quick response and coordination among the teams "helped bring the situation under control safely and effectively," the report added.
