November 9th, 2023
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
In El Paso, Texas, on September 19th, a large blaze engulfed a recycling yard fire that required over five fire departments and 60 rescuers to control. Officials blocked any traffic near the fire, and they evacuated residents affected by the smoke and fire. It was reportedly one of the largest fires the El Paso fire department has seen all year.
Fire fighters contained the fire and eventually declared it to no longer be a threat to the community. Regardless, firefighters remained on-site to monitor the area for hotspots throughout the night. Some area residents did suffer smoke damage to their homes, but no physical injuries occurred.
The El Paso recycling center receives all types of items, such as cars, pallets, trash, and tires. Many of these are combustible or contain combustible parts that may have been involved in the fire. The company started in 2004 and has had previous fires, but this is the largest one. The county is investigating the cause of the fire, and they will shut down the yard for some time. Residents are concerned for their homes and the future of this establishment. Officials will be reaching out to the owners to express the safety concerns of others.
Recycling and scrap yards have a substantial number of items that can be a fire risk, such as batteries, tires, idle pallets, and flammable liquids. Risk Logic engineers can recommend how to maintain and store those items outdoors safely. Please consider contacting Risk Logic for a site inspection of your facility to help minimize fire hazards and recommend fire protection systems that can minimize damage to your business.