Firefighters were once again at a Middletown Township metals recycling center on Tuesday battling a blaze.
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Crews were dispatched just past 5 p.m. to Langhorne Metals Recycling on Big Oak Road for a fire call. Numerous 9-1-1 calls were phoned in, officials said.
The fire caused a column of black smoke that could be seen from Falls Township and Newtown Township.
Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company Chief Frank Farry said a fire broke out in vehicles that had been crushed and were being prepared to be recycled.
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By the time firefighters arrived, workers at the recycling center had moved some items away from the fire to limit its spread. They also used a garden hose to douse some of the flames, Farry said.
It took firefighters about 15 minutes to extinguish the blaze, Farry said.
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No injuries were reported from the blaze.
The Middletown Township Fire Marshal’s Office was investigating the incident.
Big Oak Road was blocked as fire trucks were set up in the roadway.
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In addition to the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company, the Middletown Township Department of Fire and Emergency Management, Newtown Fire Rescue, the Fairless Hills Fire Company, the William Penn Fire Company, and Yardley-Makefield Fire Company were on the scene. The Penndel-Middletown Emergency Squad also responded.
The site has frequently been the site of fires and activity by state environmental and law enforcement authorities in recent years.
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The facility changed hands last year.
The previous owners of the scrap metal company that sits near wetlands and woods faced complaints with state environmental officials in the past due to spills and has been cited by Middletown Township due to unpermitted burning. The previous operators had admitted to violating state regulations and failing to take “appropriate measures to prevent the release of a polluting substance.” There were two fires at the site in 2021.
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Over the years, nearby residents and businesses have raised concerns about the operations and potential contamination at the site.
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