A fire broke out Thursday morning at CMC’s Seguin, Texas facility, centralized in an outdoor pile of scrap metal. The dimensions of the pile, spreading across about one acre but is 30-40 feet deep according to officials, made the fire difficult to put out, and crews worked to separate scrap piles in order to get the flames under control.
Because the scrap is comprised of pre-processed automobiles and thus might contain hazardous materials, residents in the area with respiratory problems were urged to say indoors.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. CMC issued a statement Thursday afternoon:
"This morning at approximately 6:45 a.m., CMC Steel TX identified and initiated action to control a fire on one of its material feedstock piles. Local fire departments were contacted immediately and are assisting in extinguishing the fire. The fire is isolated from people and other equipment, and there are no injuries and no buildings at the facility or the surrounding area are threatened. The company has contacted the appropriate authorities and ongoing efforts continue to assure that there is no threat to human health or the environment."