Updated 03/04/2011 08:55 AM
Another massive fire breaks out at Green Island scrap yard
Another fire at a Green Island scrap yard is under investigation. It's the second fire there within the past six months. People who live nearby said they can't believe there was another fire there. Our Solomon Syed reports.
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GREEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Flames shoot out of the old brick building on Cannon Street. What was once the central hub of the R.K. Freedman and Sons scrapping business now appears to be scrapped itself.
"You know, the business grew up in that building. It has a lot of history for my family," said General Manager Maish Freedman.
For the last 35 years, it's been an office space for the Freedman family business, employing 50 people, but before that, it was originally built in the late 1800s as a railroad station. The Freedman's recently sold the property to the European scrapping company EMR, European Metal Recycling, but they still run it.
"We were already talking about moving things back into place so we can start taking orders again," Freedman said.
Judging from the scene, that would be an amazing feat, about as incredible as what witnesses could see coming out of the village for miles.
"Just clouds of black smoke just coming straight up," said Troy resident Mike Collins. "I'm coming from Troy down the hill, I could just see it from miles away."
"Unreal. That place is a ticking time bomb right now," said Watervliet resident Gerrard Jones.
"There's always the risk for explosion," said Green Island Fire Chief Bob Bourgeios.
Onlookers kept a safe distance, propane tanks on the first floor posed risk for further damage and electricity in the village was turned off for about a half hour to keep power lines from igniting.
"We're not sending anyone into the building right now. There's just no need to send anyone in at this point. We're gonna be here for quite a few hours," Bourgeios said.
The silver lining is that there are no injuries to report.
The investigation into what caused the fire still ongoing. It's a total loss and could cost as much as $100,000 to demolish.
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