By Marnie Muñoz
The Detroit News
DETROIT — Thick clouds of smoke billowed over neighborhoods on Detroit’s northwest side Wednesday as fire crews worked to extinguish a mulch blaze.
The city fire department first received calls about the ongoing flames at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, James Harris, its chief of community relations, told The Detroit News.
Large stacks at the Detroit Mulch Co. on Prairie Street caught fire and were still burning by Wednesday morning, Harris said.
Investigators do not know what caused the fire yet, he said.
No civilians or firefighters have been injured in firefighting efforts so far, Harris said. The fire has also not caused any damage to nearby buildings or homes.
Officials ask that area residents keep away from the flames while fire trucks are still trying to get through to the site with water.
“We’re working hard to extinguish that fire,” Harris said.
The fire forced the business to close for the day, according to a recorded answering message from its listed phone number.
A company spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
Air quality in Detroit was moderate as of noon on Wednesday, according to AirNow, an air quality data site reporting from the official U.S. Air Quality Index. Officials report a particulate matter, PM-2.5, of 66, which is well within the 50 to 100 PM-2.5 range of moderate air quality.
The localized mulch fire will intermittently affect Detroit and Windsor air quality through Wednesday, according to AirNow. Officials expect PM-2.5 concentrations will remain within the good to moderate range for the rest of Wednesday, fading into the good zone by Thursday.
A Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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