Thick black smoke could be seen for miles Thursday morning after a shipping container being used for storage at the TC Machine welding shop near Phillips caught fire. Phillips Fire Department assistant chief Rob Evans said he’s not sure what caused the fire that broke out shortly before 10 a.m., but says it was extinguished fairly quickly and no injuries were reported.
He said the fire got into the insulation of the container which was built as a refrigeration unit and was hot enough it began to burn the aluminum rood of the container.
“It was very intense and very fast,” Evans observed.
He reported that workers from the welding shop helped out before fire crews could arrive by spraying the fire with water from a pressure washer. He said firefighters from Giltner and Aurora were also called in to help, as many of the Phillips Fire members work in Grand Island.
“We greatly appreciate our mutual aid partners coming to our aid,” Evans said.
