PEORIA, Ill. — Peoria Police and firefighters were called to an area near the Adams St. overpass just after 10 a.m. Wednesday for a fire.
Plumes of black smoke could be seen coming from Allied Iron and Steel, located in the 2600 block of W. Clark Street as crews used ladder trucks and hoses to fight the blaze.
Battalion Chief Ralph Phillips said the fire started from a large pile of material that had been through the scrap shredder.
“The fuel cells in some of these vehicles may have a little fuel left in them,” said Phillips. “If that stuff sits under a pile, it will spontaneously combust.”
Adams St. was blocked in both directions due to the heavy smoke, according to Phillips.
“[The wind] was a big reason we had to shut the road down — the foam and rubber from tires caused some pretty thick black smoke,” said Phillips. “You couldn’t even see to cross the overpass.”
