A massive fire at an industrial facility in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, is prompting air quality concerns in the Philadelphia area. The fire started at the European Metal Recycling (EMR) Atlas site at Industrial Drive and Hook Road in Darby Township around 9:45 a.m., according to the company. Firefighters worked throughout the extremely hot day to put out the fire, which is now under control. However, two firefighters have been hospitalized with heat exhaustion. With the fire no longer spreading, the concerns remains on the pollution spread from the the scrapyard, which was a place to dump items such as AC radiators, aluminum, copper, car batteries, lead and other metal objects. “The EMR Atlas site serves as a gathering point for recyclable materials collected by independent peddlers who accumulate discarded metal objects from neighborhoods, demolition sites, and other businesses,” a company spokesperson wrote. “EMR Atlas receives such material from peddlers, inspects the material, and sorts it by metal type for later processing off-site. The fire that ignited this morning is believed to have originated at the top of a pile of inbound materials exposed to the extreme heat affecting the Philadelphia region today.” People who live nearby told NBC10 that they were concerned for their and their children’s health. “The cloud was very smoky, and actually as a mom I’m very concerned for the kid,” said Khadiyah Jollah. “So, right now I keep my kid at home.” SkyForce10 was over the scene shortly before 10:30 a.m. and captured flames as well as large plumes of black smoke. The fire continued through late Wednesday morning though the color of the smoke changed from black to grey as firefighters made progress. The flames were placed under control around noon, according to EMR. While no one was seriously injured, two firefighters were transported to the hospital and treated for heat exhaustion due to the fire combined with Wednesday’s sweltering conditions with temperatures reaching the upper 90s and feeling like the triple digits. Officials have not yet revealed the cause of the fire. “The precise cause of the fire is presently under investigation,” the EMR spokesperson wrote. “EMR will review the incident to determine whether materials prohibited at EMR facilities (such as lithium-ion batteries) were contained in affected inbound loads and shall take appropriate actions to promote the safety of the recycled material stream.” Darby Township officials warned residents to avoid the area, keep their windows and doors shut and call 911 immediately in case of emergency. “This time we can see the smoke coming and stuff,” Jermaine Smith of Darby Township told NBC10. “So basically, they had some police officers come through here telling people to keep their windows closed.” The city of Philadelphia also alerted residents in nearby Southwest Philadelphia to take precautions and avoid unnecessary exposure to smoke. Inspectors from the Health Department also responded to the area to collect air samples and assess the air quality. At this time, no specific hazards have been identified, according to a Health Department spokesperson. The Health Department shared the following recommendations for residents: Avoid going outdoors as much as possible If you must go outside, avoid excessive activity, such as jogging or running, and wear a mask, if available. Close all windows and doors to minimize air pollution in your home. Recirculate air with fans to avoid bringing more air pollution into your home Residents in the area can also check their local Breathe Philly air quality monitor. EMR facility issues Camden County Jul 13 NJ recycling company begins phased reopening of Camden facility after fires Camden Jul 10 Camden officials tout new state regulations for EMR after series of fires Camden County Jul 8 NJ judge allows EMR to reopen after fires in Camden recycling facility A series of fires at an EMR facility in Camden, New Jersey, over the past few years led to a lawsuit, calls for the facility to shut down as well as a scrap metal safety bill in New Jersey that was recently signed into law. The company began the process of reopening its Waterfront South facility in Camden on Monday and the location is expected to be fully operational again on Friday, July 17, after a judge overturned Camden City Council’s decision to shut it down. EMR said they created a new operating framework to manage properties called FireSMART. The framework helps reduce fire and other risks from lithium-ion batteries, according to the company. Neighbors in Delaware County are hoping it works after the latest fire. “I hope they come up with some new direction to stop fires and, you know, prevent it,” Smith said. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less