West Fargo metals plant fire under control

• K and K Galvanizer

A passerby reported smoke coming from K and K Galvanizer in West Fargo.

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West Fargo, ND (WDAY TV) - Firefighters have brought a blaze under control at a West Fargo metal galvanizing plant after battling it all night.

Authorities say what that person saw was a vapor cloud. The chemicals there were spilling out of the building were sodium hydroxide and hydric chloric acid.

About 60 firefighters and hazardous materials crew members spent early Wednesday fighting the fire that broke out late Tuesday at K&K Galvanizers in West Fargo's industrial park.

Reitan says no one was hurt. He says people testing air quality in the area had "some irritation" but that it wasn't clear whether it came from chemicals or from the fire smoke.

Galvanizing is done to make steel resistant to corrosion. The process uses chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and zinc oxide. People downwind of the fire were advised to take shelter.

The fire's cause wasn't immediately determined.

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