JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A thick plume of smoke could be seen along the I-295 and Main Street corridor Tuesday as the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department worked to extinguish a large fire at Atlantic Can Inc.
The fire, fueled by hundreds of burning tires, raised concerns about air quality in the surrounding area.
Logan Cross, chair of the Northeast Florida Sierra Club, expressed concern about the health impact of the fire on nearby residents. Cross, an environmental expert, emphasized that fires like this can release harmful particulate matter into the air.
"It's very unfortunate, especially for the people who live in that area," Cross said.
He said the biggest concern with a fire like this is particles in the air from the smoke.
“When you burn those, a lot of that finds its way into the atmosphere,” Cross said. “It doesn’t just stay in the form of ash; a lot of it is airborne, and that’s different from, let’s say, an automobile emission, which is mainly based on burning fossil fuel. It has the particulate matter.”
The burning tires also raised concerns about the release of hazardous chemicals. Cross said tires contain petroleum and metals, which can be harmful when burned.
"Once they find their way into a respiratory system, the body just does not flush it out like it might other gases," Cross said.
However, JFRD’s hazmat team was on the scene, continuously monitoring air quality. Capt. Eric Prosswimmer, the public information officer for JFRD, said the team worked around the clock, adjusting their monitoring based on changing wind patterns.
“They’re able to detect multiple gases in the air and flammability levels,” Prosswimmer said. “They went and surrounded where that bloom was projected to be, and they monitored any areas that could be in jeopardy, like schools or businesses.”
By Wednesday morning, all air quality readings came back OK. With the fire now under control, Prosswimmer assured residents that the situation was safe.
“We’re out here, we got you. We’re going to make sure you’re well protected and taken care of,” he said.
JFRD plans to remain on site through the night to monitor for any flare-ups. The fire is expected to be fully extinguished by Wednesday night.