Roseville fire officials expect to be able to get into the remains of the RCO Engineering on Wednesday to begin their investigation after an explosion and subsequent fire destroyed much of the industrial plant.
No injuries were reported in the Tuesday incident, which shut down 12 Mile Road between Groesbeck Highway and Hayes Road for more than 10 hours and sparked a temporary shelter-in-place-warning due to hazardous materials being swept by the wind.
Fire Chief Keith Jacobs said the blast and resulting flames caused the roof of the approximate 20,000-square-foot building on 12 Mile at Calahan roads to collapse.
“It all started when a worker heard a loud boom and noticed smoke throughout the building,” Jacobs said.
The incident was reported at 10:17 a.m., but firefighters were still on the scene as of 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Investigation underway to determine what caused fire at RCO Engineering
The Roseville Fire Department texted out an emergency alert requesting residents south and east of the scene to shelter in place. Subsequent air quality testing indicated the shelter was no longer needed.
The chief said he couldn't comment on reports that firefighters were told that cyanide was involved. Cyanide is poisonous and used for various industrial applications, including metal extraction and electroplating.
RCO Engineering was evacuated immediately as were about 10 surrounding businesses, fire officials said. CN Railroad officials were notified to temporarily shut down operations as a precaution, according to the fire department.
Plumes of black smoke could be seen rolling out from one of RCO Engineering.
According to the National Weather Service, winds were gusting to 18 mph out of the northwest, which can carry the smoke to the east.
Twelve Mile Road near Roseville fire site is back open to traffic
"The winds are strong, which is a good think because it can dissipate the smoke," Jacobs said.
Representative of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy were notified to take water samples. The results were not immediately available.
Fire officials said the cause of the blast is unknown and will be investigated once the scene is stabilized.
Officials at RCO could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday.
But in a social media post, they said operations at other RCO Engineering facilities were not affected.
“We want to reassure our partners and stakeholders that there is no impact to the rest of the RCO Engineering business operations or to our customers,” the company said, in part, in the statement. “RCO Engineering remains operational, and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and service.”
According to the statement, an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident.
RCO Engineering is a supplier to the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries, according to the company's website. Its services include production plastic and metal parts, prototype and production seat molds, prototype and production injection molds, a full service aluminum foundry, as well as complete product design and engineering services.
The second-alarm fire drew firefighters from Clinton Township, Eastpointe, Mount Clemens and St. Clair Shores.
