Crews respond to fire at Buffalo junkyard

A fire at a metal recycling center near the Larkinville district Saturday afternoon produced a huge plume of dark, dense smoke that could be seen for miles.

Firefighters were still working to extinguish the blaze in a large pile of scrap metal in the yard of Metalico Buffalo, 127 Fillmore Ave. between Clinton and Seneca streets, more than four hours after it was reported around 4 p.m. Nearby streets were closed.

According to WKBW-TV, firefighters said at 7:30 p.m. there were no injuries and that air quality tests conducted Saturday night indicated no cause for concern. The thick smoke was produced by “hydrocarbons” present in the pile, which included wrecked cars and lawn mowers.

WKBW reported that firefighters said damage was estimated at about $2 million and that the last employees left the scrapyard by noon.