Fire Rages At OC Recycling Facility

SANTA ANA, CA — Orange County Fire Authority responded to a fire at a local recycling plant Wednesday. While firefighters knocked it down in about 45 minutes, firefighters expect to be on scene for several more hours as they guard against downwind embers sparking another blaze.

The fire at the OC Recycling center at 1601 E. Edinger Ave. broke out at 9:45 a.m. and was knocked down by 10:20 a.m., according to Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Larry Kurtz.

"One of the biggest concerns we have is directly downwind of the fire is a compressed gas supply manufacturing facility," Kurtz said, adding a blaze there would pose a "much larger problem" for firefighters.

Firefighters are "patrolling downwind up and down the streets, making sure no fires start up downwind of this incident," Kurtz said.

"We'll be here for several more hours, tearing apart the (smoldering) plastic and cardboard" and looking for hot spots, he said.

No one was injured in the blaze and the workers got out before firefighters arrived, Kurtz said.

OCFA Photo