By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–Rolls of cellophane at the 501K recycling company in Paris were engulfed in flames Wednesday night as firefighters from several of the county’s fire departments battled the blaze. The company is located at 1580 Industrial Park, near the old Emerson plant.
Speaking from the scene, Henry County Emergency Management Agency Director Ron Watkins said clear rolls of cellophane are on fire and the Forestry Service is on the site with their bulldozer to try to separate the materials for firefighters.
Watkins said, “This is HDP plastic and the wind is blowing to the south so this will be an irritant to some people as it gets in the atmosphere.”
Company officials are on the scene, he said.
Paris Police and Rescue Squad personnel have blocked off the area and are advising the public to keep away. The county’s EMS personnel have ambulances on the scene, “but no one has been injured,” Watkins said. “They’re here just in case.”
The fire started around 6:45 p.m. and the cause is not known as of Wednesday evening.
The Paris Fire Department is on site and volunteer fire departments from Mansfield, Oakland, Cottage Grove, Henry, Whitlock and Springville were on the scene. Watkins said the volunteer fire departments are shuttling water to the site for firefighters.