MINTO, N.B. -- Fire crews from around the region are battling a massive tire fire at a recycling plant in the village of Minto, in south-central New Brunswick.
Fire Chief Jody Price from nearby Oromocto, N.B., said his department had sent a crew to help battle the blaze that was raging at the TRACC recycling plant located in an industrial park.
Price described it as an "extremely active scene" with 17 different fire departments on site, and calls going out for even more resources.
The call first came into the Minto Fire Department just after 10:30 p.m. By 2:00 a.m., they sent out a call to nearby fire departments after their main water supply ran dry.
“There was a storage tank of a million gallons of water and that was depleted. So they had to start hauling water from different sources,” said Gregory Gilmore, Deputy Chief of the Keswick Ridge Fire Department. “My understanding is there is a hydrant source for one fill site, and the other fill site is at a brook or a river.”
With much effort, officials say they have contained the fire, but it continues to burn, sending plumes of flame and dense black smoke billowing high into the air.
Officials believe there was no one in the building when the fire started, and they’re currently reporting no injuries.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the blaze or any potential environmental impact, but New Brunswick’s Department of Health has now issued an air quality advisory for the Minto-Chipman area.
“We’re asking everyone to shelter in place. There isn’t an evacuation order so we’re asking everyone to stay home, close their windows, turn off any ventilation systems, and if they are experiencing any discomfort to seek medical attention immediately,” says Geoffrey Downey of New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization.
Jacques Mills owns a trucking company right next door to the fire. He says it would be a devastating loss to the village if the plant doesn’t reopen.
“If this goes down, which hopefully the management will rebuild, but if it does go down, it’s the biggest employer in Minto,” says Mills.
People's Alliance leader and Fredericton Grand Lake MLA Kris Austin, who lives near the plant, said the sky was orange and acrid smoke filled the air.
"This is devastating for the community as TRACC is one of the largest employers Minto. Because this is a tire fire, I am also concerned about the environmental and health risks for people who live in Minto," Austin said in a news release.
For now the focus remains on snuffing out the last of the burning tires, Deputy Chief Gilmore says could take days.
