Alternative Fuel Plant Burns in Northwest Indiana

A fire Wednesday at an alternative fuel plant in northwest Indiana left a worker with serious burns, local media reports.

At about 1:15 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to InnoFuel Energy Solutions near the Gary/Chicago International Airport in Gary, Indiana. InnoFuel converts recycled plastics, paper and cardboard into a solid fuel that can be burned like coal in industrial furnaces.

Billowing smoke from the burning plant could be seen from miles away. A mutual aid response brought firefighters from across the region.

Emergency personnel rushed the injured worker to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening burns. No other injuries were reported.

Firefighters were still on the scene at 9 p.m., the Times of Northwest Indiana reports. Nearby highway traffic was shut down during the emergency.