CAMDEN, N.J. (WPVI) — A hearth at a recycling plant in Camden, New Jersey, is now underneath management after crews battled the flames early Friday morning. The ability is on the heart of an enviromental lawsuit over earlier fires.
The newest hearth broke out at EMR Recycling on Atlantic Ave. and S Entrance St. round 3 a.m.
Fireplace officers give replace on massive junkyard hearth in Camden
The blaze grew to 2 alarms earlier than crews had been in a position to get the hearth contained, in keeping with officers. Firefighters are actually monitoring sizzling spots.
“This isn’t going just like the fires have gone right here earlier than,” mentioned Camden Fireplace Chief Jesse Flax.
He mentioned a brand-new hearth suppression system that was put in place simply days in the past helped preserve the blaze at bay.
Picture reveals EMR hearth surpressor system with sprayer hooked up tp blue/inexperienced crane arm picker that kinds materials
“Despite the fact that we nonetheless must take care of smoke, must take care of the plume – its doing its job it have to do,” Flax mentioned. “There was an issue to start with with the system, however as soon as the system acquired kicked – put in place – we had been in a position to comprise it and preserve it down to only our metropolis models getting in place and placing the hearth out.”
Chopper 6 was over a big scrapyard hearth in Camden, New Jersey
“I by no means mentioned it was going to place the hearth all the best way out. I by no means mentioned it was going to cease fires. However I did say it was going to maintain it contained,” he added.
Officers mentioned they’re additionally monitoring the ambiance and taking assessments to verify the air high quality is protected.
There was a specific concern for the Waterfrond South neighborhood, in keeping with officers.
The Metropolis of Philadelphia additionally put out an alert, advising about smoke that could be current within the metropolis and visual over Outdated Metropolis.
Residents are inspired to keep away from airborne particulates/smoke, which stay in air.
6abc Air High quality Tracker
No accidents have been reported.
The plant has a historical past of fires. The state and the Division of Environmental Safety have sued over no less than a dozen fires on the similar steel recycling plant over time.
The lawsuit calls the recurring fires an ongoing public nuisance that has severely harmed the well being and well-being of Camden residents.
Probably the most intensive hearth, in keeping with the lawsuit, occurred in February 2025 at EMR’s South Entrance Avenue plant. The four-alarm inferno burned for 12 hours earlier than being absolutely extinguished, despatched smoke and air pollution 15 miles away, and compelled the evacuation of 100 residents within the rapid space.
State officers mentioned residents reported nausea, complications, respiratory points, and eye and throat irritation because of this.
Officers initially suspected a lithium-ion battery prompted the February hearth, however the official report listed the trigger as undetermined.
One other main hearth in January 2021 hospitalized residents and firefighters, and quickly closed a close-by faculty.
The lawsuit seeks a courtroom order requiring EMR to repair hearth hazards instantly and implement measures to manage hearth dangers.
Motion Information reached out in January for remark. EMR US CEO Joseph Balzano mentioned the corporate was already taking motion, including that the corporate had “entered right into a Memorandum of Understanding to supply a complete framework for hearth suppression at our Camden shredder at a price of $6.7 million.”
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