A fire broke out on April 12 at the alternative fuels system in the Holcim US Whitehall cement plant in Whitehall Township, Pa., reported local media. Firefighters aided by a fire suppression system quickly brought the fire under control.
The Whitehall facility utilizes tires as part of its alternative fuels mix. According to a Holcim US fact sheet, the plant consumes 2 million tires per year, providing the plant with 30% of its fuel.
“The health and safety of our employees and contractors is our number one priority, and we’re pleased to report that no employees were injured,” Jocelyn Gerst, vice president for Holcim US marketing and communications, told lehighvalleylive.com. “The Whitehall plant has rigorous procedures in place to respond to fire-related emergencies. We are in the process of investigating the cause of the fire and assessing the damage.”
The plant has notified the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) about the incident.
