Fire erupts at scrap metal facility in northwest Miami-Dade

A fire erupted Thursday at a scrap metal facility in northwest Miami-Dade.

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Sky 10 was above Ferrous Processing & Trading Co Miami, located at 3700 NW North River Drive, as heavy smoke was coming from the area.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials confirmed that the fire involved a pile of scrap metal.

“There was a loud bang and then a bunch of black smoke,” said Michael Canero, who works nearby and witnessed the explosion.

According to MDFR, more than 45 fire rescue units, including its Hazmat team, responded to the third-alarm fire.

“Upon arrival, MDFR crews found a large column of thick black smoke and fire coming from a pile of scrap metal located at the scrap metal facility,” MDFR officials said in an email to Local 10 News. “Fire crews have deployed multiple hose lines to conduct a fire attack and work on extinguishing the flames. Additionally, as part of our firefighting efforts, two fireboats have been deployed to assist in putting out the fire from the water. Ladder units are also being used to extinguish the flames overhead.”

No injuries were reported.

6 p.m. report:

In July 2018, a similar blaze at the same location prompted a large overnight response involving about 25 fire units.

“It’s not uncommon at metal scrapyard facilities,” said MDFR Battalion Chief John Meic. “Every so often we’ll get a large fire.”

“It was quite a large fire and one of the problems is the fire started on the outside but the pile spreads up underneath this large metal overhang,” he added.

This time, the fire was so intense it took four hours to extinguish, requiring a significant amount of manpower.

Authorities said crews attacked the flames from above as they worked to contain the inferno, which had spread beneath a large metal overhang.

Miami-Dade Transit officials warned commuters during the fire to expect delays between the Earlington Heights and the Airport Station.

Meic said the facility works closely with MDFR and has previously allowed crews to conduct training at the site.

“They like to foster a good relationship with fire rescue and they’ll help us come in here and do some training and stuff like that,” he said.

A spokesman for Miami International Airport — located west of the scene — said flights were not impacted.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.