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BUCHANAN TOWNSHIP — No one was injured in a large structure fire Friday morning at Padnos Redbud Recycling Center, according to Buchanan Township Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Steve Mullen.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. Friday, the BTFD was dispatched to Padnos – a scrap metal recycling facility located at 15565 Walton Rd., Buchanan – for a commercial structure fire. According to Mullen, the fire started when sparks caused by scrap heap movement ignited some flammables. As units were responding, smoke was noted from the structure visible from miles away.

With assistance from the Niles Township and Bertrand Township Fire Departments, Eau Claire, Berrien Springs and Galien Fire Departments, the fire was contained to the scrap metal pile and no property was damaged.

Mullen said scrap metal fires like the one that occurred Friday morning are uncommon in this area.

“Padnos is pretty well safety-oriented,” he said. “We usually don’t have any issues at all with their facility. This was just an unfortunate mishap.”