NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — Firefighters are battling a 4-alarm fire at a construction waste recycling plant in North Andover.
Firefighters were called around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to TBI, Inc., a recycling facility at 210 Holt Road in North Andover. Initially, firefighters didn't know where the source of the fire was at first, as a huge plume of smoke blanketed the area.
The fire burned into the night as firefighters dealt with limited water supply due to a dead-end area of town and the combustible materials inside the facility.
Nearly 12 hours later, and the fire is still burning at the TBI facility in North Andover. The chief says the building will have to be demolished. #Boston25 pic.twitter.com/Nz0cCaqtrP
— Kelly Sullivan (@ksullivannews) August 21, 2019
Cars disappearing into the smoke in North Andover as @NorthAndoverFD moves debris and douses hot spots after blaze at Holt Rd recycling facility @boston25 pic.twitter.com/GqUoBtHVQ0
— Crystal Haynes (@crystalhaynes) August 21, 2019
"It would be like construction material, wood, anything you would have if you took the deck off your house. Those kinds of material, chunk woods, you have large piles and materials building up," said North Andover Fire Lt. Michael Beirne.
We are making our way to the massive fire at a recycling plant in North Andover. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/GbIS4yRUBo
— Malini Basu (@WFXTMalini) August 20, 2019
Firefighters remained at the scene into Wednesday evening. Excavators moved piles of debris so firefighters could get the lingering flames and tamp out hot spots. The smoke and debris slowed the investigation and battle against the fire.
Smoke still pours into the air from the TBI facility in North Andover. The fire started around 6:30 last night and grew to four alarms. #Boston25 pic.twitter.com/xP3GJe4G4c
— Kelly Sullivan (@ksullivannews) August 21, 2019
Officials do not yet know what started the fire. The Department of Environmental Protection has been notified and air quality monitoring tests will be conducted.
"Both last night and today, the DEP and the EPA, they did do air quality testing. And they tested this location and they tested some of the neighborhoods in North Andover as well as Haverhill and Methuen where the smoke might have been traveling, but everything came back negative," North Andover Fire Chief Bill McCarthy said.
No evacuations were ordered as the facility is in an area that is not very populated, but firefighters say anyone who lives nearby should keep their windows closed and stay inside.
There have been no injuries reported.
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