Flames from a large factory fire in Waterbury could be seen for miles Monday night as firefighters spent hours knocking down the blaze and officials said it the fire is now out. Now they are investigating the cause.
Fire officials said the fire was at the old abandoned Ansonia Copper and Brass Building near FW Webb on Bank Street.
Chief David Martin said the fire started around 8:50 p.m. When firefighters arrived they found a fully-involved factory fire.
NBC Connecticut chief meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan said the smoke plume was so large it was picked up by Live First Alert Doppler Radar.
Fire officials said the building where the fire started has been vacant for years. There were previous fires at the property, including a machine fire when the building housed a manufacturing company.
Martin said that while most of the contaminants are out of the building, timber construction and oil-soaked floors led to a speedy spread of fire. There was a partial roof collapse early on, Martin said.
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There is a power plant with a gas feed next door, causing a challenge for firefighters battling the blaze.
No injuries have been reported.
Firefighters responded to a rubbish fire down the street around 6 p.m. Monday and they are looking into whether the two fires are connected.
Officials are trying to determine what started the fire.
Editor's Note: Authorities initially identified the building as the Anaconda Brass Company, but later confirmed it was known as the Ansonia Copper and Brass Company. The above story has been updated to reflect the new information.
