Last updated at 10 a.m. Friday:
As of early Friday morning, a fire that started overnight in a salvage area in East Lawrence was expected to continue “for a good amount of the day today,” according to Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical.
Firefighters responded to 1006 E. 11th St., also known as the 12th & Haskell Recycling Center, at 1:58 a.m. Friday, according to an LDCFM news release.
Upon arrival, flames were visible in a storage building and a pile of salvage waste, according to the release. They began a defensive attack “due to fuel storage and other hazards in the area. Heavy equipment was used to assist in creating fire breaks for fire control,” the release stated.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe initially stopped all trains because of the fire’s proximity to the train tracks, but the railroad has since reopened, according to the release.
The fire was confined but not under control as of 5:42 a.m. Friday, according to the release. Damage estimates had not yet begun.
Update, 10 a.m.: A Lawrence Times photographer revisiting the recycling center Friday morning didn’t observe any active flames, but crews were still working at the scene.
Here are some photos of the scene from around 9:30 a.m. Friday:
