A structure fire in DeLand, Florida, prompted a massive response on Wednesday, and scary visuals were shared from the scene. The Volusia County Professional Firefighters Association issued a statement saying the blaze was at 906 S. Garfield Avenue. They further added that it was a recycling plant.
“DeLand Professional Firefighters and Volusia County Professional Firefighters are on scene. There is a large column in the area and smoke. UNITS ON SCENE working so be cautious of crews working,” they wrote, sharing visuals from the scene.
A local publication noted it was a possible scrapyard fire, and shared a video from the scene where thick smoke could be seen rising to the air.
“Possible scrapyard fire near Amelia Avenue in DeLand…Drivers may want to avoid the area for now,” they wrote on Facebook.
{{/usCountry}}“Possible scrapyard fire near Amelia Avenue in DeLand…Drivers may want to avoid the area for now,” they wrote on Facebook.
{{/usCountry}}Yet another person shared a photo of the fire from a distance and a thick plume of black smoke could be seen.
An official cause of the fire is not known yet. It is also not known if there have been any injuries in the blaze.
DeLand fire: Reactions to Florida blaze
Several people reacted to the fire burning in DeLand. “Yeah, it’s coming from near the water treatment facility so that would make sense that little junkyard over there right next to it and that black smoke,” one wrote.
Another gave a sense of the size of the fire, writing “I could see it coming from DeLeon.” The distance between DeLeon Springs and DeLand, which both lie in Volusia County, Florida, is about 8.2 miles or 13.2 km.
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One commented that it was at a “Sewage plant,” while another added that the fire was actually “next to it.” An individual expressed concern about the thick smoke and wrote “Wondering what chemicals are in the smoke.” To this, one person replied “Junk yard.. would say possibly, metals, rubber any material from old cars.”
The blaze also prompted one person to ask on a DeLand community page “what is on fire in Deland over on the north side of 1792?”. Several people shared updates and reactions in the comments.
“Scrap yard on South Garfield Ave,” one wrote, while another added “Evidently there is a fire at the scrap yard in West DeLand!”. Yet another person shared that the fire had impacted traffic flow, writing “I’m at the Cemetery on Beresford and could hear an explosion. Traffic coming down in Beresford is being turned around in the Cemetery parking lot.”
An individual shared a photo of smoke, and wrote they were wondering about what was burning.
A video from inside a car on a highway showed just how far the smoke was visible.
“Facing north,” the person wrote. “From what I'm hearing there was an Explosion and a man operating a crane very close to the Explosion. There working on getting the fire out now,” another added.