Few toxins in scrap yard fire

We now know more about what was burning in that scrap yard fire in east Hamilton yesterday.

The fire at American Iron and Metal could be seen from many areas of the city and some parts of Burlington. Hamilton firefighters were quickly on the scene and had the fire out in about 10 minutes – but not before a huge plume of dark, black smoke drifted west across most of the downtown core.

The fire deparment says the blaze was concentrated in a pile of mixed tin which contained aluminium chairs, fridges, stoves, and water heaters.

Insulation in the appliances was a concern. But Ontario’s environment ministry says the plume of smoke did not contain significant amounts of toxins. The MOE took readings from a mobile truck at the scene as well as two stationary monitoring stacks in the industrial corridor. They say although they did find oxides of nitrogen in the smoke plume, the levels did not exceed ministry guidelines for exposure over an eight hour period.