Washington Street, near Oconee Metal Recovery, will be blocked off until around 2 p.m. because of a smoldering fire at the metal recycling business, north of Porterdale.

The fire started when a pile of metal recycling and saw dust heated up and naturally combusted, according to Covington Fire Department officials. Once a company grinds up metal, it sits in a pile before being transported elsewhere; the pile is supposed to be “fluffed” every once in a while to prevent the combustion.

Oconee Metal has a crane lifting the pile while fire truck ladders are shooting water on the pile.

County fire officials are helping out on scene because some of the Covington fire personnel was at former Covington mayor Bill Dobbs’ funeral service.

Fire officials are investigating the fire further.