Landfill fire creates hazardous smoke

The Hopkinsville Fire Department responded to a fire at the landfill on Mount Zoar-Latham Road Thursday morning that produced smoke that was hazardous if inhaled.

According to Lt. Michael Pendleton, fire fighters were called to the landfill around 9:02 a.m. for reports of a fire with heavy white smoke coming from a container. Landfill staff attempted to put out the fire with extinguishers but were unsuccessful and evacuated the area.

The material making up the smoke was determined to be Magnesium Phosphide, which is hazardous if inhaled and reactive to water and air. The fire was put out with a high concentration of foam.

Three landfill staff were taken to the hospital to be checked out as a precautionary measure, though none of them were showing any symptoms. The scene was declared safe and turned over to Christian County Emergency Management with a HazMat team from Paducah on the way.

Pendleton says there is no immediate danger due to the isolation of the incident.