INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Fire Department is investigating two separate auto junkyard fires that broke out Saturday night.
FOX59 and CBS4 sent crews to the fires that burned in the 2600 block of West Vermont Street and the 6700 block of South Tibbs Avenue.
An IFD spokesperson told FOX59 and CBS4 that 15 cars, three semis and a small commercial bus were completely destroyed in the West Vermont Street fire. IFD reported that nobody was injured at that scene.
First responders received numerous calls about the Vermont Street fire starting around 7:14 p.m. because heavy black smoke was visible for miles. IFD brought the fire under control in 45 minutes.
Photos of the Vermont Street fire scene courtesy of IFD.
Firefighters from both IFD and Speedway Fire received assistance from Marion County Health on Vermont Street.
IFD indicated that the fire on South Tibbs Avenue damaged several out-of-service semi trailers, a cement mixer and a semi cab. The fire also caused several saddle tanks full of diesel fuel to rupture, which led to runoff into a nearby creek.
Photos of the Tibbs Avenue scene courtesy of IFD.
IFD HazMat teams successfully loaded two-thirds of the diesel. Heavily damaged trailers made it difficult for HazMat personnel to remove the last third of the fuel, so officials used oil dry to soak it up.
The Indianapolis Department of Public Works is working with IFD to contain fuel runoff. Firefighters indicated that the Tibbs Avenue fire was brought under control 25 minutes after crews were called there at 6:40 p.m.
Crews remained on scene for hours to mitigate HazMat issues. Nobody was injured in the Tibbs Avenue fire.
IFD is still investigating the cause of the Vermont Street Fire. The Tibbs Avenue fire as been ruled an arson.
