Oil tanks catch on fire at Montgomery County asphalt quarry, officials say

ROCKVILLE, Md. (7News) — Firefighters in Montgomery County responded to a quarry fire and hazmat situation in Rockville, Maryland before noon Thursday, according to a Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) spokesperson.

Officials told 7News that three stationary tanks (two liquid asphalt tanks and one used motor oil tank) on the grounds of the FO Day Bituminous Company on Piney Meetinghouse Road were reported on fire before 11:45 a.m., causing a heavy smoke plume that can be seen for miles.

According to MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer, the fire was extinguished around 6 p.m. and no injuries were reported. It's still unclear what started the fire, officials said.

Watch the full 6 p.m. news conference below:

Some nearby equipment had also been damaged in the fire, Piringer said during a 2 p.m. news conference.

Watch the full 2 p.m. news conference in the media player below:

Due to the nature of the fire, crews fought it using special chemicals, along with crews using sand to control the burn around the tanks and large amounts of water to knock down the flames.

There was no damage to surrounding neighborhoods, Piringer said.

SkyTrak7 went over the scene, which can be watched in the media player below:

Montgomery County officials said there is no danger to the immediate area as the blaze is contained. There was no need for an evacuation or shelter in place for the surrounding area. Piringer said the fire "was nothing more than just a bad pollution day." MCFRS said that the smoke doesn't pose a health risk currently but advised nearby residents to keep windows closed and limit outdoor activity as they investigate.

As of 4 p.m., crews shut off the natural gas and electricity to the plant. Piringer said the natural gas was feeding the boiler and the hazmat team was able to control that and remove a few hot spots. He said there were concerns for a potential explosion but they were able to minimize that risk by shutting down the natural gas.

The fire department has since asked for assistance from neighboring counties to help extinguish the fire.

A. U.S. corporate spokesperson with Holcim, the company that owns the Quarry property, released a statement following the fire:

"At approximately noon today, a fire was reported on property leased and maintained by a third-party contractor at the Holcim Rockville Quarry. The safety of our employees and contractors, and the communities in which we live and work, are our top priority, and no injuries have been reported. The local firefighter and emergency authorities were immediately notified per our protocol. The quarry has been evacuated out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety."