Black smoke rises Sunday evening from the Bluegrass Plating factory after a tank caught fire when a tank drained for cleaning was reheated before it was refilled. Damage was limited to one section of the plant, and it reopened Monday morning.
Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 3:09 am
By Bill Robinson/ Register Senior News Writer
Richmond, Kentucky
A tank that normally contains heated fluid was emptied for cleaning Sunday at Bluegrass Plating at 451 North Estill Ave. in Richmond, KY. But the tank’s heater was turned on before it was refilled. That caused it to overheat and catch fire, according to Richmond Fire Chief Wayne Long.
Heat from the burning tank melted a plastic skylight directly overhead, which helped vent the fire and smoke, Long said.
While the building’s fire sprinkler system did not activate, the fire’s heat burst an overhead water pipe, and the water helped limit the fire, the chief added.
A fire alarm sounded at 6:48 p.m., and firefighters were en-route by 6:50.
Assistant Chief Kevin Cole, first on the scene at 6:53, could see a column of black smoke rising from the structure from several blocks away, Long said. Knowing the building contained industrial chemicals, Cole called all four Richmond fire stations to respond.
Flames as well as smoke were coming through the roof when firefighters arrived. No one was inside the building, and firefighters had to force their way inside. While they normally wear protective clothing and use breathing apparatus to avoid smoke inhalation, firefighters were especially cautious attacking this fire because of the chemicals in the building, Long said.
The fire department keeps information about industrial plants’ contents and layout in its database, the chief said. And that information is immediately available to firefighters.
The fire was brought under control within 15 minutes of firefighters’ arrival, and they left the scene at 9:10 p.m. At one point, 18 firefighters were on the scene. None were injured, Long said.
As a precaution, equipment taken into the building was decontaminated to ensure no chemical residue remained
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RICHMOND, KY. (WKYT) -
Richmond firefighters are investigating what caused a small electrical fire at a plating company.
Crews tell WKYT the fire broke out at the Blue Grass Plating Company on Estill Avenue in Richmond on Sunday evening.
Leaders with the company say the fire started in a small tank with heaters. Firefighters believe the heaters may have melted some plastic and caused the fire.
Only part of the building is damaged.
"This is not something that typically happens in an operation like this. There's not a lot of plastic or not a lot of things that can catch fire in operations like this so it was a surprise," Blue Grass Plating VP of Operations Todd Burchell told WKYT. Burchell says the plant will be shut down until Monday.