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Updated: Fire Breaks out at Anoka Recycling Plant
May 3 – We’ve got an update on yesterday’s recycling plant fire in Anoka.
Anoka-Champlin (ACFD) Fire Chief 2 arrived to find heavy black smoke and fire in a two-story high shredding machine at Alter Recycling at 2905 N. Ferry St. The machine was used to shred vehicles. KSTP-TV’s helicopter footage shows the severity of the smoke and flames when firefighters arrived.
The Anoka County automatic aid policy brought Andover and Ramsey units when ACFD was dispatched.
ACFD Engine 3 arrived and stretched two handlines. Using the on-board foam system firefighters flowed a foam and water mixture onto the raging fire, Anoka-Champlin Fire Chief Charlie Thompson told Twin Cities Fire Wire.
Chief 1 assumed command and worked with ACFD Chief 2, Andover Chief 1, Maple Grove Chief 4 and Ramsey Chief 1. Command requested mutual aid from Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove fire departments.
Engine 11 arrived and assisted Engine 3 with dousing the fire.
Aerial 21 worked with Andover and Ramsey crews to suppress the fire, which was brought under control in less than 30 minutes.
According to Thompson, the fire began on the conveyer belt of the machine after it came in contact with a hot piece of metal.
Maple Grove firefighters covered ACFD Station 1 and Brooklyn Center crews covered ACFD station 2.
Fire Breaks at Cottage Grove 3M Plant
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
April 25 – Firefighters were called to a reported roof fire at the 3M plant on Innovation Road in Cottage Grove Monday afternoon.
Cottage Grove units were called to assist the 3M plant crews with smoke and flames coming from the roof of the large one-story building around 3 p.m.
As fire crews neared the scene, they were held up by a long freight train crossing Innovation Road.
Several firefighters climbed Cottage Grove’s aerial ladder to the roof as St. Paul Park fire crews were called to assist.
The fire was placed under control about 4 p.m., according to scanner traffic.
Twin Cities Fire Wire will update this story when more information is available.
Minneapolis Firefighters Tackle Recycling Plant Fire
April 22 – Minneapolis firefighters were called to a fire at a recycling plant on Friday morning.
Crews were called to the scene on Pacific Street around 3 a.m.
A fire suppression system was unable to contain the fire, according to KSTP-TV.
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Weather and Water Hamper St. Paul Crews at Furniture Business Fire
Paul Barrett Photo
Paul Barrett Photo
Paul Barrett Photo
Paul Barrett Photo
With updates added in.
St. Paul firefighters battled frigid weather as they brought a multiple alarm fire under control in a row of businesses Tuesday morning. Low water pressure hampered initial companies in controlling the fire.
Firefighters responded to the Advanced Furniture and Leather Repair at 822 Prior Ave. around 3:20 a.m. Firefighters found heavy fire showing factory area of the one-story building on arrival. A second alarm was called shortly after crews arived.
The row of businesses was seperated by fire walls rated at two hours.
Firefighters moved into the “D” exposure with a handline to try to keep the fire from extending, but they were pulled out as the intensity of the fire grew, St. Paul Fire Public Information Officer Steve Zaccard said.
The roof collapsed about 20 minutes into the fire.
Ladder pipes from Ladders 18 and 20 flowed water into the structure. Crews also utilized portable master streams and hoselines.
“We had difficulty securing enough water for the heavy volume of fire,” Zaccard told Twin Cities Fire Wire. He said a third alarm was called 45 minutes into the fire for additional hoselines.
At 3:45, another fire was reported on Hamline Avenue South. Click here to read more about it.
Two additional engines were called around 5 a.m. for additional hoselines. Zaccard said that one water supply was established 3,000 feet of five-inch hose.
Engine 5 and Squad 1 worked in one of the exposures to knock down the fire. Ladder 8’s crew was assigned to perform a trench cut to prevent the fire from spreading.
At the time of the fire, the temperature was hovering around 10 below zero. The command post was moved to Squad 2’s cab.
One engine reported that their drain was frozen, thus disabling the unit.
Zaccard said that two firefighters suffered frostbite and were treated on scene.
An off-duty district chief was brought back into the city to act as Chief 4 to cover St. Paul.
Minneapolis Engine 21 and Ladder 2 were covering St. Paul Station 14. Units from Maplewood covered Station 17 and Roseville covered Station 22.
The fire was declared under control about 6 a.m.
Firefighters slowly cleaned up the scene, loading frozen hose onto pickup trucks to thaw.
At 10:45 a.m., command held Engines 5, 13, 14 and 23 to assist with the investigation and demolition of the building.
- Assignment: Engines 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, Ladder 7, 8 10, 18, 20, 22, Squads 1, 2 and 3 Medics 5, 8, Chiefs 1, 2, Car 5
Stillwater, St. Charles Incidents Featured in National Magazines
Two major incidents in Minnesota — a water rescue and a major commercial fire — were written up in national media publications this month.
Here in the metro, Lakeview EMS Paramedic Scott Tomek details the April 2008 water rescue response in the St. Croix River for the November issue of EMS World magazine.
Units from Stillwater fire and police departments, Lakeview EMS and the Washington County Dive Team coordinated efforts to locate and remove four occupants of vehicle that drove off land and into the river. Read how each agency played critical roles in removing the occupants from the vehicle submerged in 30 degree water.
“Preparing to do a final sweep of the vehicle, firefighter/diver Tim Bell … began to sweep the inside with his hand, he felt a leg. He pulled on it
and, to his surprise, the leg pulled back.”
Tomek shares the tactics deployed by EMS and fire crews and the lessons learned from the response.
In the November/December issue of the NFPA Journal, Stephen. G. Badger reports on the costliest fires in the U.S. for 2009. The April 2009 fire at the North Star Foods meat packing plant in St. Charles is listed in the top 10.
The fire, which destroyed the 30,000-square-foot facility, caused $50 million in damage.
According to the article, “Firefighters had trouble reaching the fire because of barriers and obstructions created by multiple ceilings and extensive piping between the ceilings.”
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