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Photos: Fire Breaks Out At Commerce Recycling Plant
A two-alarm fire broke out at a cardboard recycling plant in the City of Commerce at around 2:10 p.m. on Friday afternoon. By 3:30 p.m., most of the fire has been put out, though the Los Angeles County Fire Department tells LAist that there is still some heavy smoldering, and that people should expect to see at least some smoke for another several hours. The fire is located in the 5000 block of 61st Street, close to its intersection with Eastern Avenue.
Richard Licon, a Fire Fighter Specialist with LACFD, explained to LAist how firefighters were on the scene by about 2:15 p.m. First reported as a commercial blaze, they learned upon arrival that the building was a cardboard recycling plant. The volume of cardboard resulted in a heavy black smoke, visible for miles around.
Approximately 100 firefighters responded to the fire, dousing the flames with both water and fire retardant foam. One firefighter was injured while trying to extinguish the fire, and was transported to a nearby hospital. No injuries were reported among the recycling plant's employees.
Curiously, another cardboard recycling plan fire broke out at almost exactly this same time last week. As KPCC reports, a plant in Ontario caught fire on Friday, October 21.
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Smoke from the fire is widely visible across Southern California:
@ABC7 Indiana Goldline Station i heard bout fire in City of Commerce pic.twitter.com/xYKJDRIthY
— Les Davis Jr. (@LesDavisJr86) October 28, 2016
Recycling Plant Fire City of Commerce seen from Van Nuys @CBSLA @KCBSKCALDesk pic.twitter.com/JUE0KucjI2
— stu mundel (@Stu_Mundel) October 28, 2016
#BREAKING @LACo_FD on scene of a 2-alarm outside fire in #Commerce. Looks like a recycling plant. pic.twitter.com/8XP0v6md7o
— Jennifer Thang (@jenniferthang) October 28, 2016
#BREAKING: We're flying over an active fire at a cardboard recycling facility in Commerce. Watch live: https://t.co/4xUgrh8yxF pic.twitter.com/2zVTQgGg1B
— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) October 28, 2016
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