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Smoke From Port Fire Affects Apollo Beach

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TBO.com

Published: November 30, 2007

Updated: 11/30/2007 01:49 pm

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TAMPA – A fire burning at a Port of Tampa business is affecting air quality, a Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission official says.

The fire broke out shortly before 6:30 a.m. at Trademark Metal Recycling, 4201 Maritime Blvd.

Firefighters said scrap metal waiting to go through a shredder caught fire. The chief officer on the scene said the pile of scrap metal slopes up about 50 feet, making it look like a volcano erupting.

Firefighters continue to pour water on the fire. They are using a crane to make a firebreak to isolate the burning material.

The fire has been contained to one area, Tampa Fire Rescue said. There have been no injuries or evacuations reported, and the fire is not affecting operations at the port, Capt. Bill Wade said.

The fire is sending a plume of smoke several hundred feet into the air, Wade said. A north to northeast wind is carrying the smoke over Tampa Bay into southern Hillsborough County. The EPC is monitoring the air quality and found elevated levels of pollution in Apollo Beach, spokesman Jerry Campbell said.

Anyone with respiratory ailments or sensitive to smoke may want to curtail outdoor activities, Campbell said.

The air pollution has not hit an unhealthful level, Campbell stressed.

The fire is expected to burn for several more hours.

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