VIDEO: Firefighters in Hillsborough County battled a three-alarm scrapyard fire that sent two firefighters to the hospital on Thursday. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue says more than three dozen units responded at around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday to Liberty Recycle at 5207 St. Paul St. in the Palm River-Clair Mel area.
The fire sent large plumes of smoke hundreds of feet into the air as crews continue to fight the flames into the afternoon hours. It took all day to put it out, because scrapyards have a mixture of materials for hotspots to hide. HCFR says two firefighters went to the hospital after showing signs of heat exhaustion and both are listed in stable condition.
Officials say the fire did not threaten any other buildings. “It was in short order that we could see this column from a distance, and we knew we were going to be busy tonight,” said Rob Herrin, chief of public information for HCFR. Smoke billowed for miles as Hillsborough County firefighters tapped hydrants to shoot water from the tops of ladders. “We just don’t know exactly what we’re fighting,” said Herrin. “There’s a lot of metal, there’s rubber from tires, there is, who knows what?”
