Safety officers still working to put out flames
Police and firefighters worked well into the evening to control a fire that consumed a recycling center in Cayce Friday morning.
Flames could be seen for miles around the Midlands after the blaze that began with just a wood chips at World Wide Recycling center on Foreman Street. The fire then burned through a nearby building filled with plastics containing petroleum, causing the initial pillars of dark smoke. Around 10:15, the roof of the building collapsed, further aiding the spread of the flames.
Firefighters from Cayce, West Columbia, Lexington and even Anderson county were called to the scene to help control the flames. Officers from USC’s Division of Law Enforcement and Safety helped Cayce police and state Highway Patrol redirect traffic around Foreman and surrounding streets.
The fire was finally contained by Friday afternoon, but putting it out was expected to take several more hours. Crews from Anderson County are not expected to be released until midnight.
At least one fireman had to be treated for heat exhaustion, but so far no other injuries have occurred. Employees were safely evacuated from the building.
Officials with the Department of Health and Environmental Control are working to monitor air and water quality but say chemicals from the burning petroleum do not pose an immediate health issue, according to reports from WACH Fox.