The Anheuser-Busch InBev Metal Container Corp. plant in Arnold has closed its bottling operation for an undetermined period following a fire at an emissions control unit outside the business early Wednesday morning (March 31). No one was injured in the fire, Rock Fire Deputy Chief Kevin Grimshaw said.
He said a fire alarm went off at 2:48 a.m. at the plant, 42 Tenbrook Industrial Park, and the fire was upgraded to a first alarm about a minute after the first firetruck arrived at 2:55 a.m. He also said the fire never spread inside the facility and was under control at 4:40 a.m.
Firefighters left the plant at 5:47 a.m., Grimshaw said.
The plant’s canning operations were resumed after the fire was extinguished, Rock Fire reported.
Grimshaw said the fire appeared to start during routine maintenance on the emissions control unit, which overheated. He said an exterior incinerator and flue were fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.
Power was shut off to the area where the outside equipment was located, and firefighters poured water into the furnace and heat exchanger because it was believed heat from those two pieces of equipment was fueling the fire, Grimshaw said.
He said plant employees also shut down the sewage drainage system when oil was seen mixing into the water because there was fear the contaminated water would seep into the sewer system.
“I was impressed with the plant,” Grimshaw said. “As soon as they discovered the possible contaminated water, they shut down the sewage system so no hazmat could be released. They were on top of it, while we were doing our thing.”
The Saline Valley and Mehlville fire protection districts helped with the call, and the Rock Township Ambulance District responded to the scene, he said.