Lots of smoke, but little fire was found when the Oxford Fire Department was dispatched to BarronCast Inc., an industrial casting facility near Oakwood Rd. and M-24, around 5 p.m. Thursday.
According to Fire Chief Pete Scholz, a pot containing molten metal failed and the superheated liquid leaked out of the bottom.
The liquid metal, which was more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, caught the oven used to heat it on fire along with some hydraulic hoses and oil.
It was the burning of these that caused a substantial amount of smoke. ‘You could see smoke for a couple miles,? Scholz said.
Despite its appearance, the fire at 215 Plexus Drive was actually relatively small.
‘It was pretty much confined to that area of the building,? Scholz said. ‘No structural damage.?
Scholz said it only took 200-300 gallons of water to put it out within a matter of minutes.
No dollar amount concerning the damage was available, but Scholz estimated it probably cost BarronCast ‘a couple hundred thousand (dollars) in equipment.?
Fire departments from Addison and Orion assisted Oxford, while Brandon and Oakland Twp. covered local calls.
? Editor C.J. Carnacchio