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Firefighters battle two-alarm blaze at Suffolk business after 8,000-gallon processing tank with recycled oil catches fire

SU 400 S. Saratoga Street fire (May 31)
SU 400 S. Saratoga Street fire (May 31)
SU 400 S. Saratoga Street fire (May 31)
SU 400 S. Saratoga Street fire (May 31)
SU 400 S. Saratoga Street fire (May 31)
Posted at 9:48 PM, May 31, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-31 21:48:07-04

SUFFOLK, Va. - An 8,000-gallon processing tank containing recycled oil caught fire at a business in the 400 block of S. Saratoga Street Tuesday night.

Suffolk Fire & Rescue responded to a call for a two-alarm commercial structure fire at Suburban Investments at 7:35 p.m.

Units arrived on scene four minutes later to find heavy smoke showing from the business' front roll-up door and the roof.

After investigating, fire officials found that the processing tank was on fire in the back of the building.

With 2,000 gallons of product on fire, firefighters requested a second alarm due to the size of the building and the amount of fire in the tank.

As crews attacked the fire from the inside of the building, ladder crews vented the roof.

The rescue company searched the building and didn't find anyone inside.

The fire department says there is heavy fire to the processing vat and area above the processing tank. There is also smoke damage to the entire mobile home.

SU 400 S. Saratoga Street fire (May 31)
SU 400 S. Saratoga Street fire (May 31)

Fire officials say the business was occupied at the time of the fire.

The fire was called under control at 8:17 p.m.

No firefighters or occupants were reported to have been injured.

The Fire Marshal's Office is investigating what caused the fire and where it started.

The fire department says the Virginia Department of Emergency Management was notified but didn't respond.

Suffolk Police provided traffic control and helped with the investigation.

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