Officials address second major fire this year at Providence scrapyard

Providence, R.I. (WLNE) – Rhode Island Recycled Metals scrapyard on Allens Avenue in Providence caught fire again on Wednesday.

Providence Fire Chief Derek Silva explained some of the challenges that firefighters faced in the incident.

“Given the weather today being very hot we’re concerned about the firefighters’ condition as well as the conditions of the fire here,” Silva said. “It being scrap metal pile, it’s a deep-seated, very hard fire to extinguish.”

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said the business presents an ongoing environmental nuisance and public safety hazard, arguing to a judge that it needs to be shut down immediately.

Back in May, Providence City Council passed a resolution calling for the closure of the scrapyard.

“This facility is unlicensed by municipal standards,” Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement. “And we have made multiple attempts to close this business after they withdrew their application to come into compliance.”

Air quality is also a concern, and Silva said that multiple agencies monitored the air, including the DEM and the Coast Guard.

“We also set up a triangular area around this region to identify any air quality issues that may exist,” Silva said. “Currently, our meters are reporting zero conditions in terms of air quality issues.”

Silva also voiced concerns expressed by the people who live in the vicinity of the scrapyard.

“Neighbors are fed up, they feel very upset, they feel very underrepresented,” Silva said. “They don’t want to put up with it anymore.”

The attorney general’s office is filing a motion to end operations at the scrapyard.

The owners of the yard have agreed to stay closed pending a hearing on Friday.