'Brutal' Blaze at Wheat City Metals Now Contained

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): A fire that broke out at Wheat City Metals early Thursday afternoon is now “contained and in full control,” the City of Regina said in a news release issued at 3:30 p.m.

Large plumes of black smoke could be seen all the way from downtown Regina as well as from the south end near the university, but the release notes there is no threat to the surrounding area and air quality is being monitored.

The fire at the recycling facility, located north of the EVRAZ steel mill, began shortly after 12 p.m., according to Regina Fire and Protective Services (RFPS).

Fire Marshal Randy Ryba described the blaze as “brutal” and said despite lots of equipment at the fire, it was still “burning violently” at about 1 p.m.

Fire crews were having a tough time establishing a waterline to fight the fire, given how far away it is from pipes and infrastructure, he added.

“We’re going to run out of water unless we can establish a water supply from outside the perimeter of the property,” Ryba said.

Fire crews were primarily battling the blaze with water they themselves transported out to the site via tanker truck.

“That won’t last long,” he noted, adding the challenge was finding a water source nearby, likely close to a highway so crews could work to get the fire under control.

“We’re working hard.”

As the afternoon progressed, crews were eventually able to hook into a hydrant. A firefighter on the scene said there was about 1,200 feet of hose in use, running from the water source to the truck and crew tasked with attacking the fire which burned atop a mountain of metal recycling.

A firefighter on scene at the scrapyard said he wasn’t sure how long crews would be on site, saying only “there’s a lot of fuel, a lot that can burn.”

“Further updates will be provided, as necessary,” the city’s news release said.

Courtesy: www.leaderspost.com