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November 16, 2009

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Officials say no pollutants released in fire at Timet plant

Friday, Dec. 26, 2003 | 9:57 a.m.

An industrial fire at Titanium Metals Corp. in Henderson Wednesday created enough smoke for a second alarm, but caused no injuries and emitted no chemicals, fire and company officials said.

"We had a fiberglass stack and for whatever reason, yet to be investigated, it ignited," said Craig Wilkinson, Timet's western regional manager for health, safety and environmental affairs.

The fire, which began about 11:40 a.m., was doused within 10 minutes, fire officials said.

The 40-foot smokestack served as a carbon monoxide scrubber, which cleaned chemical residue from an attached boiler, Gary Sepich, assistant chief of urban fire services for Clark County, said. Sepich said firefighters think carbon monoxide inside either ignited or the stack somehow became over-pressurized.

Employees were temporarily evacuated from the site as a precaution, Sepich said. The fire caused $8,000 to $10,000 in damage.

Investigators found nothing out of code and no irregularities Wednesday, Sepich said.

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