Roads in the area of a rubber plant in Brantford have finally reopened after an outdoor storage area caught fire early Sunday morning.
Some lanes were still reduced Monday as crews remain on scene for cleanup and investigation.
Black smoke blanketed the city at the time, prompting officials to warn the public of possible toxicity in the air. Firefighters were still battling the flames more than 20 hours after it began.
The fire was deemed under control around 3:30 a.m. Monday. Crews managed to keep the fire from spreading, causing only minor damage to North West Rubber buildings.
The Ministry of Environment was monitoring the scene overnight as the plume of a smoke was a concern for many. Officials say that after running tests, air quality levels are well below emergency levels.
“All businesses that we closed as a precaution were able to reopen this morning,” says Deputy Fire Chief Todd Binkley. “All businesses around the area are open.”
No injuries have been reported.
The approximately 40 employees have not been able to return to work yet, but the company's president, Leighton Friesen, says impact should be minimal.
"We’re a company trying to do the right thing for the environment, in the safest and most environmentally-friendly way possible," he also says. "We will work to figure out what caused this and then do whatever we can to minimize the risk of it ever happening again."
Crews remain on scene pulling apart thousands of rubber mats to ensure that all of the hot spots have been put out.
