Firefighters called when recyclable materials catch fire

A fire smoldered for several hours at a recycling center on Monday as firefighters had to break through recyclable materials to douse the flames.

Cape Girardeau firefighters responded to Heartland Industries, 1310 Southern Expressway, shortly after 6 p.m. Upon their arrival, heavy fire was located in the center of a roughly 150-foot unit of cardboard and paper ready for recycling, chief Rick Ennis said.

Business drivers, city workers and volunteers from Elfrink Transportation Inc. assisted in removing up to nine trucking trailers from the scene.

Only one trailer was reported to have propane in it.

City equipment was used to break apart and spread the recycling stacks across the property in order to completely put the fire out.

No one was on the property at the time of the incident, Ennis said. No one was injured.

Scott City firefighting units assisted, while Jackson and East County units covered the Cape Girardeau stations.