Firefighters battled a stubborn blaze fed by animal fat at a metal polishing company in Ferndale Thursday morning.
No one was injured in the blaze, which broke out at about 10:30 a.m. at Van Industries, which employs less than ten people, Ferndale City Manager April McGrath said from the scene.
Firefighters from Hazel Park, Royal Oak and Madison Heights assisted at the scene at 1285 Wordsworth in Ferndale.
Tannis Berbynuk, 55, said she heard popping noises just before 11 a.m. from the company at 1285 Wordsworth, near 8 Mile and Woodward, from her job at Detroit Pump.
"You saw the flames come up," Berbynuk said. said just after 11, watching from the other side of the CSX train yard separating the two businesses as thick black smoke continued to billow into the air.
Ferndale Police Detective Lt. William Wilson said the smoke poses no issues to those in the area. He said animal fat used at the metal polishing company was feeding the stubborn blaze.
Timothy Webb of Oak Park, who's been driving Van Industries' delivery truck off and on for 10 years, said he was waiting to hear from the business' owners how the fire began.
"They're some good people -- really beautiful family," he said, standing along the street, trying to reach the owner by phone. "That's a tragic loss, dear God. It could have been worse. It's not about the product now."
Copyright 2012 - Detroit Free Press
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Firefighters battled a stubborn blaze fed by animal fat at a metal polishing company in Ferndale Thursday morning.
