30 Firefighters Battle Structure Fire at Rockford-Area Landfill on 10 Mile Road
About 30 firefighters from six departments responded to a structure fire at the North Kent Recycling and Waste Center near Rockford on 10 Mile Road Tuesday evening. The fire was contained in roughly one hour with minimal building damage.
Fire erupts at North Kent Recycling and Waste Center Tuesday evening
A fire broke out Tuesday evening at a major waste facility just east of Rockford, prompting a multi-department response that drew roughly 30 firefighters to the scene.
The Plainfield Township Fire Department received a fire alarm call at 7:34 p.m. for the North Kent Recycling and Waste Center 10 Mile Transfer Station, located at 2908 10 Mile Road near the intersection with US-131, according to reports from FOX 17 and WOODTV.
Crews arrived to find a large pile of debris burning inside the structure with heavy smoke throughout the building. The facility's sprinkler system had already activated.
Second alarm pulled as six departments respond
The volume of fire and smoke led officials to upgrade the incident to a structure fire response and request a second alarm, according to the Plainfield Township Fire Department.
Firefighters from Rockford, Algoma Township, Alpine Township, Cannon Township, Sparta, and Walker all sent crews to assist Plainfield Township, WOODTV reported.
Firefighters brought the flames under control in approximately one hour. An on-site excavator helped crews manage the burning debris pile, according to WOODTV.
Minimal damage, investigation continues
The Plainfield Township Fire Department said the building sustained only minimal damage, crediting the sprinkler system and the coordinated multi-agency response for limiting the destruction.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the department said.
North Kent Recycling and Waste Center is one of the region's primary waste and recycling facilities, serving communities across Kent County. The 10 Mile Transfer Station accepts waste and recyclables from residential and commercial customers in the area.
Residents and drivers traveling along 10 Mile Road near US-131 may have noticed smoke and emergency vehicles in the area Tuesday evening.
"Firefighters were able to get the fire under control in about an hour," the Plainfield Township Fire Department said in a statement reported by FOX 17.
The facility has not commented on whether the fire disrupted operations beyond the evening of the incident.
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