Initial reports were the fire may have started in an aluminium chip melter that malfunctioned. The fire quickly leapt to the roof of the two-story building.
An Alcoa spokesperson said the casthouse and the nearby extrusion building - facilities located in the center of the sprawling Alcoa plant just outside the village of Massena, were evacuated. There were no reported injuries.
Heavy black smoke covered the village of Massena shortly after the fire broke out and was visible for miles outside of Massena.
Firefighters from Massena, Louisville, Brasher-Winthrop and several other departments responded to the fire scene. Firefighters were attempting to get a helicopter to the area to conduct an aerial inspection.
Source and pictures http://aluminiumplantsafety.blogspot.co.uk/