Fort Worth mulch fire continues burning more than 24 hours after reported
A mulch fire that started in the wee hours of Sunday morning, sending plumes of smoke and dust into the air, continued burning Monday but was under control, Fort Worth Fire Department Engineer Mike Drivdahl said.
The fire, which Drivdahl said is suspected to have started due to natural chemical changes in the mulch during decomposition, set the top layer ablaze and was reported between midnight and 1 a.m. Sunday at Living Earth mulch plant in the 6200 block of Salt Road.
The blaze on the top layer had been put out, but Drivdahl told the Star-Telegram on Monday that firefighters were working through lower layers. They were putting out each layer of flames and then raking back the charred mulch to get to the next layer.
There’s no expectation of how long it can take to extinguish a mulch plant fire, Drivdahl said Monday, but a lot of progress had been made.
There are no major concerns about smoke or air pollution hurting nearby residents, Drivdahl said. The mulch plant is not in a residential area.
Crews responding to the fire in the early morning hours of Sunday encountered a large and dramatic fire, bolstered by whipping winds. Dust hung in the air, and there was an orange glow.
Drivdahl said that by Monday morning there was still smoke rising visibly from the plant but efforts to contain the blaze were successful.
This story was originally published December 28, 2020 at 12:43 PM.