By Jon King / jking@whmi.com

Firefighters quickly battled a blaze that broke out this morning at a chemical plating facility near Downtown Howell.

Firefighters were dispatched at about 8:20am at Diamond Chrome Plating at 604 S. Michigan Avenue. A video sent to WHMI shows flames and thick, black smoke coming from the facility, while a crowd of people stand outside and watch.

According to Deputy Howell Fire Chief Brian Anderson, firefighters worked with Diamond Chrome’s staff and management and were able to contain and extinguish the fire within about an hour. It's believed to have started in the ventilation scrubbers located on the building’s roof. There were no injuries.

The cause and origin of the fire are still under investigation.

The Fowlerville Area Fire Department also responded to the call, while the Brighton Area Fire Authority remained on standby. The Howell Police Department, Livingston County EMS, and the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) were also on scene. The City’s Department of Public Works assisted with road closures.

While Diamond Chrome Plating was the focus of a health hazard alert in late 2019 after air sampling found high levels of trichloroethylene, officials say there does not appear to be any health concerns given the short duration of the fire and smoke.

However, Nick Assendelft with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy tells WHMI that their "emergency staff has been in close contact with local authorities on the situation. Our Air Quality Division staff is taking the lead for EGLE in assessing any environmental impact from the fire."