Firefighters battle scrap metal fire in Providence

(WJAR) — Firefighters battled a large scrap metal fire in Providence that broke out late Wednesday night.

Crews have been at the scene on Allen Avenue for hours into the early Thursday morning.

The area is right off the Thurbers Avenue exit on I-95.

Fire crews responded at around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday and found a large pile of trash and scrap metal on fire.

The battalion chief said they had roughly 40 firefighters on scene, trying to knock down any hotpots underneath the pile after the fire was out.

“It’s mostly underneath, and we’re just soaking it down. We’re trying to get some equipment over here, maybe dig it up and see what we can do, but it’s going to be an extended operation,” Providence Fire Department Battalion Chief Gregory McGee said.

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A spokesperson for Rhode Island Recycled Materials said that company officials believe the fire could be a case of arson.

“We suspect this is a case of arson. Earlier that evening, trespassers had to be removed from the area. A review of surveillance footage is currently underway to get a better understanding of what transpired,” company spokesperson Patrick Sweeney said in a statement.

He also said that the light iron pile that went up in flames was comprised of white goods and non-combustible material.

The chief told NBC 10 there was no one around when the fire started, and no one was injured.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.