State Fire Marshal's Office investigating Johnston fire

JOHNSTON -- Investigators from the office of the Rhode Island state fire marshal are investigating Sunday's fire at a metals recycling plant but they have not yet reported the cause of the blaze, Fire Chief Timothy McLaughlin said Monday.

The fire at the Schnitzer Steel plant, at 89 Celia St., began inside a large pile of debris that had grown over the course of several days due to a problem with the facility's vehicle shredder, McLaughlin said.

"It seems it started in the middle," McLaughlin said. "Who knows what was in that pile," he added.

Firefighters used foam to extinguish the blaze, McLaughlin said.