Large fire burns outside plastics manufacturer in Auburn Hills

A combination of plastic, cardboard and pallets caught fire at a plastics manufacturing building Tuesday morning.

While no one was injured, the black smoke, which was a result of burning plastic, could be seen for miles. Located in Auburn Hills near I-75 and University, the fire was a constant threat to the building near the site.

However, due to the direction of the wind, damage was minimal. Temperatures and wind can often be a factor in making fires worse. However, those two components actually made the situation easier to handle.

"If this would have happened on Sunday, they could have lost that building," said Tonya Perry, a retired Troy firefighter.

While officials suspect the cause of the fire started in a dumpster when cardboard started burning, the exact nature of the incident is still under investigation.