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Heavy smoke filled the 700 block of Pike Street on Tuesday after an old oil tanker that was being scrapped caught fire around 11 a.m.

Workers at Bill's Auto Salvage, 25 Pierce St., behind Kmart, were working to cut iron pipes from the tanker when a tire on the trailer caught fire and spread into the tank, fire officials said.

"The tanker was empty, but there was some residue inside that caught fire," said Marietta fire Chief Tom Dempsey. "When we got the call we were told it was a gas tanker. We were really glad to find it was just crude oil."

Residue or fumes from an empty gasoline tanker could have led to an explosion.

Still, the fire caused a two-foot rupture in the rear chamber of the tanker. No one was injured, and the fire was quickly extinguished.

A firefighter climbed onto the tanker and opened several relief valves to prevent pressure from building in the other chambers inside the tanker. Dempsey said the tanker had at least four chambers.

Bill's Auto Salvage owner Walter Voshel said it was the first tanker he had got in for scrap in six or seven years.

"Usually when they come in they are already cut up," he said.

Voshel said the fire caused no damage, other than to the tires that were on the trailer.

"Nothing else is hurt," he said.

Voshel has owned the scrap business for 30 years. His father owned and operated the business for 25 years before that.

"Business has been a little slow with the way this economy is. This is the most people I've had down here in a little while," Voshel said, trying to make light of the situation.

Jeff Jackson, 51, of New Matamoras, said he was at the scrap yard looking to pick up some steel when he heard some commotion and looked up and noticed the fire. He said he was a little concerned when he saw what appeared to be a fuel tanker on fire.

"I just saw flames shooting up and I didn't know what had happened," he said. "I saw the tires were on fire, but I don't know if that's what caught the tank on fire or if they caught on fire after."