Report and photo by Bob Bartosz
On July 11, 2014, firefighters from the West Edgecombe (NC) fire department were dispatched to the rock quarry on Springfield Road just off NC 97 in Edgecombe County for a fire in a large hydraulic drilling machine. Responding firefighters could see dark, black smoke from the fire several miles away.
When firefighters arrived, they found a fully involved large rock drilling machine on fire. They requested mutual aid from the Rocky Mount City Fire Department. The Rocky Mount Fire Department dispatched Engine Co. 5 to the scene to carry in more water to help battle the blaze, which was sparked after the machine overheated.
The fire was more than 200 feet down at the bottom of the quarry. It took firefighters almost one hour to place the blaze under control.
“Something mechanical went wrong with it that caused it to ignite,” said Rocky Mount Battalion Chief Jamie Vaughan. Edgecombe County EMS units also responded to the fire, but there were no reports of injuries.
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