Firefighters tackle blaze at junkyard in West Babylon

A fire broke out on Friday afternoon at a multicar junkyard in West Babylon — sending massive plumes of charcoal-colored and light gray smoke billowing skyward as firefighters pointed streams of water onto the blaze.

The blaze at Hesh’s Recycling at 180 Field St. was reported about 3:40 p.m., Suffolk police said. Hesh’s, which is down the block from the Town of Babylon Recycling Center, handles cars and metal.

Firefighters appeared to operate from inside a fenced-in yard in an industrial area of West Babylon between Eads and Field streets, some standing on mounds of earth as tall as the warren of low-rise nondescript buildings surrounding them.

Equipment and personnel from the West Babylon, North Amityville, East Farmingdale, North Babylon, Wyandach, Melville and Lindenhurst fire departments responded to the blaze.

By 6 p.m. the flames appeared to be extinguished, leaving just sprinkling embers.