NEW HAVEN, Mo. – A New Haven coal fire that ignited Thursday morning around 5 a.m. is still burning brightly, with firefighters from five different agencies battling the flames for nearly 12 hours.
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Firefighters arrived on the scene within five minutes of the initial alarm and remained on-site until around 4 p.m.
Residents reported significant smoke covering the area.
A New Haven resident shared, “It covered the whole town; you could see it. Just huge fog throughout the entire town. It went all the way up to the elementary school; it just fogged the whole area.”
The fire occurred at a facility where the popular local restaurant, Blues Hog, stores its coal. Chief Brian Stubberd of the New Haven-Berger Fire Protection District confirmed that the fire did not spread to other buildings on the industrial campus and, fortunately, there were no injuries reported.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is on-site, monitoring air quality closely. As of now, the air has been deemed clear, but officials will continue to assess the situation in the coming week. They urge residents with pre-existing health conditions to stay vigilant.
The Missouri Division of Fire Safety is currently investigating the cause of the fire.
Officials will monitor the fire daily until it is completely extinguished. In the meantime, the community is urged to stay away from the site.
