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Fire erupts at plastics factory in Michigan

Posted on by SST

A fire erupted at an occupied industrial warehouse in Windsor, Mich., on May 21. Local ABC affiliate WXYZ reported the Sprucewood Industries warehouse contained 100,000 pounds of plastics that caught fire around 3 p.m. The plastic burned for hours, the source said. The fumes created by the flames were toxic, and officials instructed residents living nearby to stay inside if they experienced difficulty breathing or felt discomfort from the smoke. 

One woman who lives in southwest Detroit said she was driving on a nearby freeway when she saw the big cloud of black smoke created by the warehouse fire. She said the smoke caused her eyes, nose and throat to burn, WXYZ reported. 

Windsor Chief Fire Prevention Officer Lee Tome told the source that anytime plastics are involved in a fire, it is a cause for concern. However, he also said there have not been any abnormal air quality readings outside of normal range as a result of the fire. 

The Detroit Free Press reported firefighters had the flames under control within five hours. No one was injured in the blaze.

Industrial sites, especially those containing potentially hazardous or toxic materials, should have proper safety equipment such as a flame detector and fire alarm system in place to ensure worker safety. This equipment will alert employees when a hazard arises and limit the amount of damage on site. 

Safety News brought to you by Safety Systems Technology, Inc., leaders in fire and gas detection systems.

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