Recycling plant goes up in flames near Allapattah

Cause of fire under investigation

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Ferrous Processing & Trading Co., a recycling plant along the Miami River, caught fire Thursday night in northwest Miami-Dade County.

Firefighters were called to the recycling plant near Allapattah shortly before 9 p.m. When they arrived, they found large flames and smoke billowing from the business.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said everyone inside the business got out safely.

"It was a deep seated fire. It's a very large rubble pile," Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Edward Erickson said. "We had at the height probably 25 units out here." 

Firefighters had contained the fire by 10:30 p.m. There was still a plume of smoke billowing in the night's sky, but there were no signs of any flames. 

Firefighter spent Friday morning putting out any hotspots. 

"We are working with the Department of Environmental Regulation and the U.S. Coast Guard," Erickson said. "As far as the Miami River, nothing has gone there yet. Our plan is to take some samples and ensure that anything that is released is clean and, if it's contaminated, it will be handled by a third party contractor."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.


About the Authors

Louis Aguirre is an Emmy-award winning journalist who anchors weekday newscasts and serves as WPLG Local 10’s Environmental Advocate.

Sanela Sabovic joined Local 10 News in September 2012 as an assignment editor and associate producer. In August 2015, she became a full-time reporter and fill-in traffic reporter. Sanela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a concentration in radio, television and film from DePaul University.

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