Fire authorities said that the fire started in the plant’s coal-powered generating unit.
Advertisement
Firefighters reportedly received the call for assistance at around 6:30 p.m. and fought the blaze well into the following morning.
An emergency responder gets transported to the scene of a fire at the DTE Energy St. Clair Power Plant in East China Township, Mich., Thursday, Aug. 11. There are no known injuries and employees were evacuated immediately. She said her father was home at the time and heard the explosion at 6:30 p.m. DTE successfully invoked its emergency plant procedures and shut down all other units at the site. St. Clair Power Plant located at East China Township in MI has remained closed after a large fire occurred, sending large smoke in the air visible for miles. St Clair and Marine City first responders are now working to contain the fire.
A part of ensuring that the fire was 100 percent controlled, crew members form the St. Clair Fire Department went inside the power plant building Friday night to check for hot spots that remained inside the plant.
“Air monitoring systems remain in place with readings continuing to be well within normal limits outside the facility perimeter”, DTE said.
Roads in the area were closed and traffic was detoured away from the plant.
DTE spokesman Pete Ternes says in an email the utility plans a statement with an update later in the morning.
DTE customers are not expected to see any changes in their electric service.
A power plant located northeast of Detroit was forced to shut down after a massive fire.
Advertisement
It’s expected the plant, which employs 294 people, will remain closed for an undetermined length of time.
