A fire on New Year’s Eve at the Doe Run lead smelter facility in Herculaneum damaged a conveyer belt, authorities said.
The date of the fire was significant because the company had reported it would cease lead smelting operations at the plant that day, Herculaneum Fire Department Capt. Kevin Baker said.
Doe Run traces lead smelting operations at the site back to 1892, when the St. Joseph Lead Company operated there.
“It was kind of ironic because it was supposed to be the last day they were operating,” Baker said.
Doe Run called Herculaneum Fire at 6:04 p.m. about the fire.
“They reported a fire in what they call the central plant; the conveyor belt was on fire and they could not extinguish it themselves,” he said. “It’s a large facility and it took time to find the location of the fire. Once we found it, we probably put the fire out in 35 to 40 minutes.”
Baker said the source of the fire remains under investigation and no injuries were reported.
Firefighters remained on the scene about four hours, he said.
Herculaneum received assistance from the Crystal City and Festus fire departments and the Dunklin and Antonia fire protection districts.
Doe Run officials could not be reached for comment.
Previously, company officials said smelting operations at the plant were to cease Dec. 31, with 140 employees involved with smelting to lose their jobs by that time.
Another 75 employees reportedly would stay on at the plant through 2014 to continue other operations.
All services are to cease at the plant by the end of 2014, Doe Run officials say.