SPRINGFIELD — A stretch of Bus. 98 was closed Friday as fire crews quickly extinguished what officials called a “self-ignited” fire in a reservoir of a chemical company near the paper mill.
Firefighters from Springfield, Parker and Panama City responded at about 4 p.m. to a call at the Rock-Tenn Pulp and Paper Mill, 1 S. Everitt Ave. The fire, contained to an “equalization basin” belonging to Arizona Chemical, was extinguished in about 15 minutes, according to officials. No injuries or property damage were reported, officials said.
Fires are a likely event in the basin, Arizona Chemical spokeswoman Lorraine Gallagher said, especially in hot and sunny conditions. The basin is a filter for several chemicals, including flammable oils, that are treated before disposal. In the right conditions, those liquids can spontanaeously ignite.
Arizona Chemical and fire officials will be conducting an investigation into the fire's origins.