Crews continue to fight massive fire at recycling facility in White Pigeon

WHITE PIGEON, Mich. -- Firefighters are on the scene of a large fire at Green Stream Recycling Facility in White Pigeon, Michigan.

At least one warehouse-type building caught fire at approximately 1:30 p.m., according a zoning official on scene.

There are 38 acres of land that the building sits on; half of which is still burning Monday night.

All lanes of M-103 between Barker Road and US 12 were back open as of 2:00 a.m. Tuesday. MDOT had closed all lanes Monday afternoon shortly after the fire started. 

SkyDrone57 took the skies over the fire, showing the size and scope of this large mulch and wood recycling complex.

Neighbors say this is the third fire they have seen at this facility. Neighbors add they attended a township meeting about three months ago, about this factory not complying with their special use permit. As a result, the factory agreed to make some changes. 

Michelle Coleman, a woman who lives beside the facility property says she feared for the safety of her family.

"When the fence goes my house is going to go, it's that close. And as you can hear the buildings are going right now," she said. "They just told me to get off their property and I was just trying to check to see how bad it was when I have four children and the home directly next door that's about to catch fire and that they have no water of their own here at a wood factory that you know, in case of preventative measures for this."

Green Stream bought out Michiana Decorative Mulch seven months ago.

"They are a new business to Mottville Township. We've been working with them with a safety plan and put in access management roads and stuff so in case this does happen we stand a good chance to try and help them fight that fire. Unfortunately, that project was still in its infancy," said Doug Kuhlman, zoning official of Mottville Township.

Working with the zoning department, the company was about two months into that process. Also working to find a closer water source.

"They were doing everything possible to try and get it accomplished. Unfortunately, this happened before hand," said Kuhlman.

The building was evacuated and no injuries have been reported.

This story was first reported by The Elkhart Truth.