By David Nuñez
oregonlive.com
PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland firefighters responded Wednesday afternoon to a scrap fire at a metal recycler in North Portland that sent up a plume of dark smoke visible for miles over the city.
The four-alarm fire started at Radius Recycling in a large pile of mixed metals that included crushed cars and appliances headed for an industrial shredder, Portland Fire & Rescue officials said.
Workers broke up the mound into smaller piles to make the fire easier to control, said fire spokesperson Rick Graves.
“We are reducing the size of the pile, so there is less fuel,” Graves said. “As the claw moves the metal, we are also hitting it with water.”
No one was injured and no buildings were damaged, Graves said.
The fire began about 1 p.m. and was under control within four hours, fire officials said.
About 100 firefighters responded as crews used extended ladders fitted with hoses, machinery to move the debris and boats supplying water from the Willamette River to extinguish the fire, Graves said.
The cause remains under investigation.
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Firefighters battling a two-alarm blaze around 3:30 a.m. Thursday kept heavy smoke and flames confined to the rear addition of the Happy Garden restaurant on North Seventh Street, as residents in the apartments above escaped safely