LAUREL — Investigators continue working to determine what caused a massive industrial fire Monday at Howard Industries in Laurel that forced the evacuation of employees and drew a large response from fire departments across south Mississippi.
Laurel Fire Chief Leo Brown told WDAM that firefighters were forced to battle two separate fires on the Howard Industries property in the Laurel Industrial Park.
The main fire involved a storage area near the employee parking lot on the Pendorff side of the property, where paint, storage transformers and other equipment were located, Brown told WDAM. A second fire involved an 18-wheeler near a guard shack on Industrial Boulevard.
Fire crews used a combination of water and firefighting foam to bring both blazes under control by about 8:30 p.m., WDAM reported.
The fire sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky and could be seen from miles away. Drone footage captured by WDAM after the smoke cleared showed transformers and other debris at the plant.
Despite the alarming appearance of the smoke and flames, Brown told WDAM that some of the materials involved burn differently than highly explosive gases such as propane.
“Acetone or the oil, it’s like striking a match,” Brown told the television station. “You’re just going to get a big blaze, and then it’s going to dwindle down.”
Employees were evacuated quickly, and no injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Brown said. He said Howard Industries and insurance representatives were involved in determining how the fires began.
The blaze prompted a large-scale regional response, including assistance from numerous volunteer fire departments.
The Collins Fire Department said it was asked to provide one of its specialized industrial fire and flammable liquids response units, along with firefighting foam and personnel, to assist Laurel, Ellisville and Jones County firefighters.
Collins firefighters praised the responding departments for their efforts in preventing the fire from spreading to nearby structures and for their work establishing water supplies and tanker operations.
Brown told WDAM he appreciated the assistance of the 17 volunteer fire crews that responded to help battle the fire.
The blaze reportedly began about 2:40 p.m. Monday and involved an outdoor paint booth and nearby equipment. Firefighters worked for hours to contain the flames and protect other portions of the facility.
Howard Industries announced on social media that normal operating hours resumed Tuesday morning.
The investigation into the cause and the extent of the damage was ongoing Tuesday.
