Fire Breaks Out at Illinois Metal Recycling Facility

A metal recycling plant briefly closed in May after several explosions was the scene of a large garbage fire Tuesday afternoon in Illinois.

At about 2:15 p.m., flames broke out at General Iron in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, a metal shredding business that handles more than 740,000 tons of material annually, local media report. The business has been at the center of controversy with nearby residents urging the city government to close the facility.

Operations were temporarily curtailed in May after two explosions rocked the site. The company reported that the blasts were within the metal shredding process being conducted.

City officials ordered General Iron to close until the stability of the structures on site could be reviewed. The city also conducted a safety review of the premises.

No injuries were reported in the Tuesday fire.