PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Black smoke could be seen billowing as crews worked to put out a fire that broke out at a scrapyard in Providence, Rhode Island, on Tuesday.
Workers were using blowtorches to dismantle an old, famous Russian submarine when a spark ignited rubber coating, according to Michael Healey, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
The fire spread quickly and burned a section roughly 100 square feet in size, Healey said, adding that crews were able to extinguish the flames using just water, rather than firefighting foam.
About two dozen firefighters initially responded around 9:30 a.m. but most were sent back soon after arrival, according to Providence Deputy Fire Chief Steve Capracotta.
Crews cleared the scene around 11:15 a.m.
No serious injuries were reported.
Healey said the submarine that caught fire was used in the 2002 movie “K-19: The Widowmaker,” starring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson.
Rhode Island Recycled Metals has been dismantling it since June 2019.
The submarine sank into the Providence River along with other vessels in 2007, according to Healey.