An estimated 60 firefighters from five of Phillipsburg's six fire companies responded to the two-alarm blaze at the Sitgreaves Street facility around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Phillipsburg Fire Chief Richard Hay said.
Plumes of smoke barreled out of the building's "Bag House," a four level, 40-by-40 foot steel-encased structure toward the back, authorities said.
“The fire was extremely hot, smoky and difficult to access,” Hay said.
"This structure contains several thousand filter devices designed to clean pollutants from the byproducts of the pipe making process."
While no plant personnel were hurt in the fire, three firefighters were treated for minor injuries, said Hay, describing operating conditions as “very difficult.”
The cause remains under investigation.
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