WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — After hours of battling fierce flames, West Memphis firefighters have contained a large fire at a warehouse that sent black smoke billowing into the air.
That smoke could be seen from nearly 20 miles away. The fire erupted Saturday morning at a warehouse operated by cleaning product manufacturer "Awesome Products", located near QuickTrip on 7th Street just south of I-40.
The thick, black smoke was reportedly due to the amount of plastic burning in the building. The West Memphis Fire Department said there was no surrounding hazardous threat to the community in terms of the smoke or air quality.
At the peak of the incident, the West Memphis Fire Department urged citizens to avoid the area altogether and to "allow emergency services unobstructed access" to the scene.
Police blocked the road right at the I-40 exit.
"Our brave firefighters are working tirelessly to contain the situation and protect our community," a statement from the West Memphis Fire Department read. "Thank you for your cooperation during this challenging time."
Posts on social media captured the smoke rising as early as 11 a.m., and the Tennessee Department of Transportation's (TDOT) camera near Missouri Street captured some of the smoke as well.
