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Port Fire Finally Extinguished

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By CARLOS MONCADA | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 1, 2007

Updated: 12/01/2007 02:20 pm

TAMPA - A scrap metal fire at the Port of Tampa that burned for 27 hours was extinguished this morning, but what caused the smoky blaze that slightly affected air quality remains unknown.

No one was injured in the fire that broke out in a pile of scrap shortly before 6:30 a.m. Friday at Trademark Metals Recycling, 4201 Maritime Blvd. The fire burned throughout the night was still smoldering this morning before it was put out as of 10:30 a.m., said Tampa Fire Rescue Capt. Bill Wade.

Six crews of 20 firefighters used 4.9 million gallons of water to extinguish the blaze, Wade said. That's about 3,000 gallons each minute, enough to fill 400 backyard swimming pools. The water was mixed with foam used to break down the water so it could percolate deep into the pile and reach the deep-burning fire, Wade said.

Damage estimates were not immediately available and the cause remains under investigation. The pile that caught fire contained mostly metal as well as plastic, vinyl and grease. It was waiting to be separated and shredded.

The blaze sent a plume of smoke several hundred feet into the air Friday, and winds carried the smoke across Tampa Bay and into southern Hillsborough County.

Elevated levels of pollution were detected in Apollo Beach Friday, but Hillsborough County environmental officials said the levels were not considered unhealthy. Air quality levels returned to normal by Friday afternoon.

Tampa Fire Rescue will bill the recycling company for the cost of extinguishing the fire, Wade said.

Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 451-2333 or cmoncada@tampatrib.com.

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