KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) City officials say the fire that shut down the Keene Transfer Station on Wednesday afternoon was contained to a pile of waste inside the building and did not cause structural damage, according to details released Thursday by the Keene Fire Department.

The blaze broke out around 12:45 p.m. at the Old Summit Road facility. Firefighters arrived within minutes to find heavy flames inside the building and deployed hose lines to keep the fire from spreading to machinery. Crews used tankers from more than a dozen neighboring departments, along with an on-site water cistern, to douse the flames. Transfer station equipment was also pressed into service to move burning debris outside so firefighters could extinguish hot spots.

About 20 Keene firefighters responded, with help from towns across Cheshire County and southern Vermont. The fire was declared under control by 1:43 p.m., though crews stayed on scene until late afternoon. No injuries were reported.

The facility closed early Wednesday but is expected to reopen in some capacity Thursday. The fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause.

City officials noted that the quick discovery of the fire and early notification helped minimize damage. The press release said the primary fuel was waste material, not the building itself.

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Small Fire Temporarily Shuts Down Keene Transfer Station – My Keene Now