North Side recycling plant fire under investigation
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Officials are investigating the cause of a fire at a recycling plant on the city's North Side that required level 1 HAZMAT response.
The blaze broke out in a stack of scraps Sunday morning at General Iron Industries, located in the 1900-block of N. Clifton, officials said.
No injuries have been reported. Ald. Brian Hopkins is demanding a full investigation into what the company is keeping on its property. He said other neighbors heard a series of loud explosions just before 9 a.m.
"We've always been concerned about the refinery being so close but we were fortunate the winds were blowing the other way," said Greg Andricopulos, a neighbor.
Although the facility was not open Sunday morning, the metal recycling center - which shreds scrap metal and sells materials - has been on the alderman's radar.
"We believe this facility is a danger to the community and this fire today is one more example of it," Hopkins, of the 2nd Ward, said.
Although it was quickly contained, fire officials say this type of fire can burn for awhile.
"They take a long time, there's a lot of unprocessed materials in there, plastics, foam, rubber, things like that, cars in the pile," said Joseph Roccasalva, Chicago Fire Department.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
