A fire was reported Friday afternoon in the mulch pile/chipper yard on Blue Grass Army Depot. All personnel were accounted for, and there were no injuries to the workforce, according to Mary Moses, a spokesperson for the depot.

“The surrounding community and chemical weapons were not in any danger from the fire,” Moses said.

The BGAD fire department was the first to respond. On arrival, heavy smoke and fire was showing on and around the engine compartment of a kindling yard chipper machine and the surrounding mulch pile, she said.

The department received help from the Madison County Fire Department, Station No. 2.

The depot’s environmental department does not expect any potential harm to the environment from this fire, according to Greg Ranard, assistant chief of the Blue Grass Army Depot fire department. As a precautionary measure, workers placed booms around the fire area.  

“The booms will allow water to pass through, but will block any possible contaminants from leaving the area, such as hydraulic oil or petroleum products,” Ranard said.

The exact cause of the fire is unknown and an investigation into the incident has begun, according to depot officials.