A fire at a magnesium recycling facility in Southern California has reportedly led to several explosions and power outages in nearby neighborhoods.
According to an online report from KTLA TV, the fire in Maywood, California, has “caused several explosions, prompted evacuations and a smoke advisory and left thousands without power” on Tuesday, June 14, 2016.
The fire spread to at least one adjacent property, according to the Maywood Fire Department. The department also acknowledged that initial responders sprayed water that came into contact with burning magnesium, “creating a violent explosion.” Firefighters subsequently stopped applying water in areas where magnesium was suspected to be.
The KTLA article says approximately 200 people were evacuated from homes near the recycling plant, as
fire officials assess the smoke emanating from the fire for any chemicals.
A power outage related to the fire or explosion also has affected as many as 3,000 residents in the area, according to KTLA, citing the local power utility.
In late 2003, a fire at a magnesium recycling facility near Cleveland was audible and visible for miles around and was attended to by fire departments from several communities.
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