Fire erupting inside a steel foundry Sunday drew six Longview firetrucks and crews, who put out flames within an hour. Assistant Fire Marshal Jimmy Purcell remained at Southwest Steel Casting Co., off Foundry Road in Longview's west industrial district, to investigate the cause of the unexplained fire.
Crews were called to the foundry's southernmost casting plant at 3:49 p.m. and had flames contained within minutes.
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Longview firefighters battle a blaze Sunday at |
"Once we were able to get over here and get to the place, they were able to get it pretty quick," Purcell said. The plant was not in operation when the fire occurred, he said. He reported no firefighters were injured.
Rusty Fields, a Clarksville City volunteer firefighter, helped guide Longview crews to the site deep in woods between Harrison Road and Marshall Avenue.
"I was coming down (U.S.) 80 and saw the smoke," said Fields, who worked at Southwest Steel 18 years ago. "You could see the smoke just billowing out of it." Combustible items inside the plant included wooden molding frames used for steel casings, Fields said. A hazardous materials unit was among trucks deployed to the fire, but no specialty equipment was seen in use as its crew worked with other firefighters.
