A raging fire that sent smoke and flames over Council Bluffs this (Thursday) morning is still not under control. Fire Marshal Jeff Hutcheson says the call came about 4:30 A.M. to Stern Oil Company, south of the western Iowa town. The fire marshal says they store a variety of products including motor oil, hydraulic and cutting oil, antifreeze, and some industrial cleaning solutions.

Those all burn, and Hutcheson says HAZMAT crews were among several fire departments that responded to the fire. He says those concerns are being addressed, while most of the firefighters are still concentrating on getting the fire under control. When Hutcheson talked with Radio Iowa, the fire had raged for at least six hours and still wasn’t under control, although one report said the only injury was a firefighter treated for smoke inhalation.

Hutcheson says all he’s heard from the Incident Commander, the only injuries were minor ones to two firefighters who slipped and fell. The fire’s in Lewis Township, south of Council Bluffs, and at one point this morning flames were reportedly shooting eighty feet into the air. At least ten departments came to fight it, including fire crews from Glenwood and Bellevue, Nebraska.