Chemical Fire Causes Evacuations, Explosions in Michigan

A chemical fire in Hamtramck, Michigan, that resulted in the evacuation of 750 residents has been brought under control, according to local news reports. This afternoon residents were told they could return home.

The blaze broke out around 11:30 Thursday morning, at the Sterling Services Oil and Chemical plant, and burned out of control for at least 2 hours until firefighters used foam to put it out. Some reports say that the smoke from the fire could be seen in Trenton, River Rouge and even as far away as Ontario, Canada.

The fire is believed to have been caused by a fuel truck that created a spark while delivering fuel to the plant. The plant reportedly had the capacity to handle some 5 million gallons of fuel, including hydraulic oils, greases and petroleum products for companies such as ExxonMobil and Dow. Several fuels tanks at the plant exploded during the fire, as did tanker rail cars stationed nearby.

A spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Quality told reporters from Action News Detroit that crews are on sight evaluating the air quality to determine how harmful it may be to local residents.

Sterling Oil and Chemical was cited by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2004, resulting from a failure to submit emergency and hazardous chemical inventory forms to the state, county, and the local fire department, Action News reports.