United States (South Carolina) - A fire at a chemical plant in Columbia's Olympia community Saturday was brought under control quickly and is not expected to pose any health threats, fire officials say. The fire, at Lindau Chemicals on Granby Lane, started when the outer lining or insulated shell of an outdoor tank caught fire, Columbia-Richland fire department spokesman Brick Lewis said.

The 1,000-gallon tank, which stores a chemical used in paint mixtures, was not ruptured, Lewis said. The fire was brought under control in less than 30 minutes, he said.

There were no injuries or evacuations at the plant or in the area, Lewis said.

Investigators did not know what caused the fire. Richland County's fire marshal is investigating.

In 2002, small explosions rocked the plant's boiler room, and a fire burned for several hours. In December 1997, it took firefighters three days to put out a fire caused by a hydrogen tank explosion. More than 50 homes were evacuated both times.

Written by The State

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