MEC&F Expert Engineers : METAL FIRE, CLOSE EAST EXCHANGE STREET NEAR DOWNTOWN ACRON, OHIO WHEN WATER FROM AN OVERHEAD SPRINKLER SYSTEM REACTED WITH METAL SHAVINGS TO START A FIRE

Friday, May 15, 2015

METAL FIRE, CLOSE EAST EXCHANGE STREET NEAR DOWNTOWN ACRON, OHIO WHEN WATER FROM AN OVERHEAD SPRINKLER SYSTEM REACTED WITH METAL SHAVINGS TO START A FIRE




MAY 14, 2015

AKRON, OHIO 

Water from an overhead sprinkler system reacted with metal shavings to start a fire in  an industrial building on East Exchange Street in Akron this morning.

The Akron fire department sent HAZMAT crews to 600 East Exchange St. just after 4 a.m. after metal shavings inside the building caught on fire, according to Fire Department Spokeswoman Inspector Sierjie Lash.

Lash said that smoke inside the building activated the sprinkler system, but the water reacted with the smoldering metal causing the fire to grow. 

The fire department closed East Exchange Street in both directions and continue to monitor the building for potential hot spots and flare-ups, Lash said. The street reopened at about 8 a.m.

A fire department spokesperson told reporters this morning hat they believed the fire started spontaneously. Lash said information on the exact type of metal -- mentioned in other news reports as either magnesium or nickel -- was not yet available.

Akron Fire Department plans to release a full report on the fire later this morning. 

Source:Cleveland.com