FIRE brigades from Mornington, Mount Eliza and Mount Martha and specialist Hazmat crews from Hallam battled to bring an industrial fire at Mornington under control this morning.

Commander Paul Summons, who is based at Dandenong, said the fire at a scrap metal yard near the corner of Watt and Yuilles roads tore through piles of scrap metal three metres high, 20 metres long and five metres wide, from 9am, Friday 19 June.

The blaze also damaged a seven-tonne excavator and generated so much dense, toxic black smoke that an advice warning was sent out to the community not to breathe the foul air.

The blaze which Commander Summons deemed not suspicious took two hours to bring under control with crews expected to remain onsite for much of the day to prevent any recurrence.

Also on the scene were Mornington police and EPA and Melbourne Water crews working to prevent contaminated water entering Tanti Creek, which runs nearby.

Picture: Jack Vevers – Peninsula Aero Club

Picture: Jack Vevers – Peninsula Aero Club