Omni Source: Massive Scrap Metal Fire Won’t Have Financial Impact

Johnson City, Tenn.—A massive pile of scrap metal caught fire at the Omni Source facility in Johnson City Monday night.

Firefighters received the call at 11:14 p.m.  They didn’t clear the scene until 6:00 a.m. Tuesday.

Omni Source is located at 110 Perma R Road—just off the 3500 block of Market Street.

Security Officer Jeremy Howell was the only person at Omni Source when the fire erupted.

“I couldn’t really see at the time,“ Howell said.  “I was, like I said, doing my normal rounds,  trying to check to see where the smell was coming from.  I knew it was smoke,“ he said.

Howell followed that smell to gate three.  That’s where Omni Source keeps their auto-shredder.  He encountered a huge fire with dense, billowing black clouds of smoke.

“{I heard} a small explosion—big enough to hear it, but not big enough to set anything else on fire,“ Howell said.

The Johnson City Fire Department arrived minutes later.  Capt. Steve Weaver had not determined why the fire started, but he realized how hard it would prove to put out.

“It’s deep seeded, so we’re having to tear this pile apart in order to get at all the flames,“ Weaver said. 

“Also, you’ve got a lot of magnesium in there burning and you probably noticed the white sparks when we’re putting water on it.  It’s extremely hard to put out.  It takes copious amounts of water,“ he said.

As the above video report was compiled, several small explosions sounded from the pile of burning debris.

“Any tank that you’ve got in there right now that develops any type of pressure {explodes},“ Weaver said.  “Even tires are popping off in there right now—so, that’s what you’re hearing.“

Oxygen tanks located near the scrap heap were never in danger, Weaver said.

Omni Source Regional Manager Arnold Williams said the pile of scrap metal weighed about 1,000 tons—or two days worth of collected sheet metal, scrapped cars, and miscellaneous appliances.

The machine that shreds those scraps is under repair.  It needs a new motor and won’t be ready until Wednesday. 

Williams said Omni Source keeps metal reserves low, and that repair has no relation to Monday night’s fire.

Williams said the fire would not impact Omni Source financially.  It didn’t burn down any buildings, and charred metal shreds just the same.

To view a video version of this report, click the play icon above.