Large plumes of heavy, black smoke could be seen from all over the city after a fire started at an asphalt plant just after 8 a.m. Sunday.
Firefighters responded to a blaze at the Volker Stevin plant located at 69 Street and 112 Avenue NW.
Smoke billowed from the top structure of three silos used in the production of asphalt, but it appears the blaze started at ground level.
"Apparently what happened is there was a malfunction in one of the pieces of equipment that puts the oil in the silos, it caught on fire creating heavy, black smoke," said Calgary Fire Department Batallion Chief Rob Horseburgh.
Both the Fire Department and Alberta Environment monitored air quality downwind and found people living in nearby communities didn't need to be evacuated.
30 firefighters were on scene from Calgary and surrounding districts. The Calgary Police Service brought in its HAWCs helicopter to help.
"What we're doing is offering perimeter control so the Fire Department can actually get in there and do what they need to do. As well, we called out the HAWCs helicopter to assist Fire in developing a strategy from the air on how to tackle this blaze," commented CPS Duty Inspector Paul Stacey.
There are three silos on site. One is empty, another half full, and firefighters say the third is full, and burning.
"It's very challenging, just because of the danger of moving in close to one of those silos. We don't want to compromise firefighter safety at the risk of a collapse of one of those silos," added Horseburgh.
No one was injured in the blaze.
Investigators are still trying to piece together what caused the blaze and fire officials haven't yet determined a damage estimate.
It's not known how the blaze will impact Calgary road construction projects.
