Michigan tank farm fire. Evacuations around Sterling Oil & Gas in Hamtramck.

By 1:30 p.m., smoke was not as thick as the huge plumes that originally rose from the plant at Dyar and Commor streets, near I-75 and Caniff.

Five employees evacuated 1530 Commor after tall cylindrical-type tanks containing gasoline and diesel fuel caught fire just after 11:30 a.m., plant manager Gary Campbell said.

“Luckily, we all got out,” Campbell said. He believes an electrical problem may have sparked the blaze.

“There must have been some fumes over there,” Campbell said.

Firefighters from Hamtramck and Detroit Fire Department continually shot water onto nearby tanks that were not on fire, preventing them from exploding.

Marathon Petroleum sent a truck full of firefighting foam from its refinery just south of I-75’s Rouge River bridge to the scene, which helped smother the flames.

The company, which processes nearly 4.3 million gallons of petroleum a day at the only refinery in Michigan, thought it the neighborly thing to do, spokeswoman Linda Casey said.

“It’s helping our neighbor,” Casey said. “Marathon Petroleum is a responsible care partner, and as such is committed to helping our neighbors.”

Officers from Hamtramck Police were evacuating streets surrounding the plant by noon.