CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A five-alarm business fire that consumed an entire afternoon for local firefighters may have been accidental.
Charlotte Fire Department called control time at 8:32 p.m., about five hours after it ignited in the 2400 block of Chamberlain Avenue, near South Gardner and Rozzelles Ferry Road in northwest Charlotte.
Crews said the flames were contained by around 6 p.m. but they continued pouring gallons of water on the area to keep flames from spreading. Crews will be on scene throughout the Thursday morning maintaining hot spots.
The business is Caraustar, which manufactures recycled paperboard and other paper products; of course all of which are extremely flammable. Charlotte Fire says the flames never actually touched the building. The fire started outside and recyclables continued to go up in flames.
The department says they were originally called to put out a dumpster fire, but the classification quickly upgraded. Officials categorized this as fifth alarm at 5:20 p.m., mostly because of the heat. Each upgrade called for more crews from companies in outlying areas. More crews allow for firefighters to rest.
The fire department says the 150 firefighters battled the flames in extreme heat. Charlotte reached 99 degrees Wednesday. One firefighter was taken to the hospital for treatment as a precaution but was released by the evening. MEDIC examined more than a dozen others on scene for the same reason. Ambulances and MEDIC's mass casualty bus were on standby to help treat and hydrate all of the firefighters. Firefighters tag-teamed the flames, rotating in and out to ensure no one is overheated.
Charlotte Water upped the water pressure in the neighborhood to help extinguish the fire quicker.
Power has been turned off to neighbors, meaning there is not access to air conditioners or fans. Once it's considered safe to do so, Duke will slowly begin to restore power. CMPD conducted welfare checks because of the heat but didn't find anyone in need of assistance.
Neighbors were not forced to evacuate.
Wind worked in the firefighters' favor. With hardly any breeze, the flames didn't blow toward the building, but the smoke billowed into a large pillar reaching at least 10,000 feet high. The smoke is even visible on doppler radar.
Firefighters said a machine in the plant is what ignited the flames.
