Aug. 09--Several area fire departments responded to a fire Friday morning at the YRC trucking terminal in Copley Township.
According to police and fire officials, a semi-trailer at a dock ignited about 9:15 a.m. The trailer held four containers of the chemical dimethyl ether, a colorless gas used in various compounds and as an aerosol propellant. It is highly flammable.
A hazardous materials team was on the scene.
Firefighters had the fire largely contained within about an hour of the call and were wetting surrounding areas to keep flames from spreading as the fire burned itself out.
Kids Academy of Copley, a child-care center, and other businesses in the immediate area on Copley Road or Cleveland-Massillion Road were evacuated as a precaution, police Chief Michael Mier said.
Staff and the 28 children attending Kids Academy on Friday were bused to Copley High School. Parents were called to pick up the youngsters there.
Mier said it was not immediately known if anyone was injured in the fire.
Several roads in the township remain closed.
Rod Burger, who has lived in the area for about 30 years, said he had "never seen anything like" the black smoke that billowed from the fire.
Copyright 2013 - The Akron Beacon Journal
