Firefighters battle large junkyard fire at Camden recycling plant at center of lawsuit
N.J. has sued over at least a dozen fires at the same metal recycling plant
CAMDEN, N.J. (WPVI) -- A fire at a recycling plant in Camden, New Jersey, is now under control after crews battled the flames early Friday morning. The facility is at the center of an enviromental lawsuit over previous fires.
The latest fire broke out at EMR Recycling on Atlantic Ave. and S Front St. around 3 a.m.
The blaze grew to two alarms before crews were able to get the fire contained, according to officials. Firefighters are now monitoring hot spots.
"This is not going like the fires have gone here before," said Camden Fire Chief Jesse Flax.
He said a brand-new fire suppression system that was put in place just days ago helped keep the blaze at bay.
"Even though we still have to deal with smoke, have to deal with the plume - its doing its job it need to do," Flax said. "There was a problem in the beginning with the system, but once the system got kicked - put in place - we were able to contain it and keep it down to just our city units getting in place and putting the fire out."
"I never said it was going to put the fire all the way out. I never said it was going to stop fires. But I did say it was going to keep it contained," he added.
Officials said they are also monitoring the atmosphere and taking assessments to make sure the air quality is safe.
There was a particular concern for the Waterfrond South neighborhood, according to officials.
The City of Philadelphia also put out an alert, advising about smoke that may be present in the city and visible over Old City.
Residents are encouraged to avoid airborne particulates/smoke, which remain in air.
6abc Air Quality Tracker
No injuries have been reported.
The plant has a history of fires. The state and the Department of Environmental Protection have sued over at least a dozen fires at the same metal recycling plant over the years.
The lawsuit calls the recurring fires an ongoing public nuisance that has severely harmed the health and well-being of Camden residents.
The most extensive fire, according to the lawsuit, occurred in February 2025 at EMR's South Front Street plant. The four-alarm inferno burned for 12 hours before being fully extinguished, sent smoke and pollution 15 miles away, and forced the evacuation of 100 residents in the immediate area.
State officials said residents reported nausea, headaches, breathing issues, and eye and throat irritation as a result.
Officials initially suspected a lithium-ion battery caused the February fire, but the official report listed the cause as undetermined.
Another major fire in January 2021 hospitalized residents and firefighters, and temporarily closed a nearby school.
The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring EMR to fix fire hazards immediately and implement measures to control fire risks.
Action News reached out in January for comment. EMR US CEO Joseph Balzano said the company was already taking action, adding that the company had "entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to provide a comprehensive framework for fire suppression at our Camden shredder at a cost of $6.7 million."
