GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Chopper 9 was over a major scrapyard fire Monday afternoon in Gaston County, south of Crowders.
The fire at Metal Recycling Services began burning around 3:30 p.m. Monday and was cleared around 8:30 p.m. the same day, Gaston County officials said.
Smoke from the fire in the 5400 block of Highway 321 could be seen for miles. Robinson Road was closed between U.S. 321 and Sparrow Dairy Road. The road has since reopened.
At the center of the fire was a pile of crushed cars, officials said.
County officials said the firefighters with Crowders Mountain Volunteer Fire & Rescue are familiar with fires caused by crushing vehicles at the scrapyard. But that Monday’s windy conditions accelerated the fire to a scale that required assistance from more than 30 agencies.
1 of 8
Gaston County Emergency Medical Services treated one firefighter for heat exhaustion at the scene.
The following agencies responded alongside the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services and Crowders Mountain Volunteer Fire and Rescue: Gastonia Fire Department, Union Road Volunteer Fire, New Hope Fire, GEMS, Ranlo Fire, Stanley Fire, East Gaston Fire, and many other agencies including several from South Carolina.
VIDEO: Charlotte scrapyard violated air quality rules when it caught fire, county says
©2025 Cox Media Group
