After two days, newark firefighters get scrapyard pile fire under control

NEWARK, NJ – The Newark Fire Department has reported a scrapyard fire that burned and smoldered for nearly two full days has been extinguished.

“This fire posed some unique challenges for the Newark Fire Division in that it was deep-seated inside a 60-ft. pile of scrap metal, where firehoses are not effective,” Director O’Hara said. “I commend Newark’s bravest for working around the clock to ensure that this fire was appropriately extinguished.”

Fire began Monday night

Just after 7:50 p.m. Monday, Newark Firefighters responded to 206 Calcutta Street on a call of a fire involving a pile of metal in a scrap yard at EMR Recycling. The Fire Division worked in concert with the scrap yard’s heavy equipment operators to move and spread out the metal to fully extinguish the fire.

The Newark Fire Division further utilized Essex County’s Neptune System to pump water through an apparatus known as the Iron Man nozzle. In contrast to a traditional fire engine, which can pump 1,250 gallons per minute, the Neptune System can pump 10,000 gallons of water per minute.

Scrapyard fire in Newark put out

The fire was considered under control at 8:49 a.m. today. No injuries have been reported. Newark Fire companies are rotating through the site to maintain a fire watch in the event of any flareups.

The Newark Department of Public Safety has been in communication with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which confirms the safety of the air quality in the area.

During the fire, reports of smoke emanating from the fire were made in four of the five boroughs of New York City.

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