VAN BUREN, N.Y. -- One firefighter was injured battling an industrial blaze Friday afternoon in Van Buren.
Firefighters from departments across the Onondaga County have been working for hours to put out a fire at Bodycote, a thermal processing company at 7055 Interstate Island Road. The company is also known as Syracuse Heat Treating Corp.
A firefighter is being evaluated for a minor injury, said Commissioner Dan Wears, of the Onondaga County Department of Emergency Management.
A deputy spotted smoke coming from the Interstate Island Road area around 1 p.m., said Sgt. Jon Seeber, spokesman for the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office. Around the same time, Bodycote employees called 911.
Thick, black smoke was visible from miles away. Winds carried the acrid smell of the fire to Lakeland along Onondaga Lake.
The factory is located between the Thruway and Interstate 690.
Industrial Island Road is closed. Concerned for loved ones working on the street, residents became upset when they learned they could not turn onto the road.
Employees were inside the building when the fire started, Seeber said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
A reverse 911 call was placed to residents and businesses in the area, Seeber said.
Due to strong winds, the chemicals inside the burning building and the heavy smoke billowing from the fire, deputies asked people near Interstate Island Road to stay inside and keep their windows and doors closed.
"We have a lot of residents and businesses just in this general area here," Seeber said, "so safety is a main concern of ours."
Wears said investigators haven't determined what chemical is burning. Seeber said the company melts down metals.
Investigators are working to interview employees, find witnesses and determine exactly what chemicals are inside the building, Seeber said.
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