OAKLAND, Calif. — A fire ignited in the massive Schnitzer Steel scrap yard along the Oakland Estuary, CBS San Francisco reports. The blaze sent a plume of black smoke towering in the sky that was visible along San Francisco’s waterfront Saturday.
Oakland fire officials said they received a call about 4 p.m. local time reporting the blaze at the facility that offloads scrap metal onto freighters for shipment to Asia.
Fire officials had called over to the neighboring Alameda Fire Department and San Francisco Fire Department asking for their waterboats to help battle the blaze.
The plant has had trouble with fires in the past. Blazes erupted in its scrap piles in April 2009 and January 2010.
According to the company’s website, the facility is accessible by I-880, I-980, I-80, I-580. It features equipment like a mega-shredder, material handlers, loaders, fixed shear, HRB baler.
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