Fire under control at EMR junkyard in Delaware County

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A large junkyard fire in Darby Township that sent black smoke blowing toward Philadelphia on Wednesday morning is under control, according to Delaware County officials.

Dozens of firefighters from roughly nine companies responded to the fire at 3 Industrial Drive — the address of a junkyard owned by EMR, a multinational scrap metal recycling company whose operations in New Jersey have been blasted by residents and elected officials for repeated fires that have caused people to evacuate their homes, experience physical symptoms and endure lingering psychological impacts.

The first fire company, Darby Township Fire Department, was dispatched to the scene at 9:59 a.m., said Gary Vinnacombe, Delaware County’s director of emergency services. As of around 11 a.m. Wednesday, Vinnacombe said the fire was contained to a large pile of scrap metal. The fire was declared under control at 1:58 p.m, he said.

One firefighter with the Darby Township Fire Department and another with Yeadon Fire Company were transported to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital for heat exhaustion, Vinnacombe said. The Philadelphia area is under an extreme heat warning Wednesday.

In a statement provided by a spokesperson, EMR said the site collects recyclable materials from “independent peddlers who accumulate discarded metal objects from neighborhoods, demolition sites, and other businesses.” The company said it believes Wednesday’s fire started at the top of a pile of inbound material exposed to the “extreme heat,” and that the precise cause of the fire is still under investigation. EMR has frequently attributed fires at its sites to flammable lithium-ion batteries.

“EMR’s first priority is the safety of our workforce and the public neighboring our facilities, and we thank the firefighters of Delaware County for their support at the EMR Atlas Traders scrap metal feeder yard,” the statement read.

Delaware County hazmat officials monitored the air near the fire Wednesday morning and identified “nothing hazardous,” county spokesperson Mike Connelly said in a text message.

Community PurpleAir monitors near the site of the fire Wednesday morning showed air quality in the “acceptable” range, while Philadelphia’s air quality monitors along the southwest border of the city showed particulate matter levels to be “moderate.”

Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management sent out an alert at around 10:30 a.m. warning residents of a “large fire” outside of the city. The city collected air samples in the area.

“Residents in the area should take precautions to avoid unnecessary exposure to smoke,” the alert read. The city recommends residents near the fire close windows, avoid going outdoors if possible, avoid intense outdoor physical activity like running and wear a mask outdoors.

Philadelphia public health officials said the air could be hazardous for “sensitive groups,” including older adults, children, pregnant people and people with respiratory or heart conditions. Officials advised people with underlying illnesses to seek medical attention if they experience any trouble breathing, dizziness or nausea.

Smoke contains tiny particles that can get deep into lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing lung and heart issues. Air quality and environmental health experts have told WHYY News that smoke from other scrap metal fires at EMR facilities likely carries toxic heavy metals and may carry other cancer-causing pollutants.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. 

WHYY News reporter Kenny Cooper contributed to this story.