By Greg Risling
The Associated Press
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A roaring fire in an industrial yard sent a huge column of toxic black smoke blowing across Southern California’s Riverside County on Tuesday.
The fire burned furiously in Unlimited Plastics Inc., a large commercial yard filled with crates, lumber, barrels and trash. Plumes were blowing toward a residential area but no evacuations were ordered.
“There’s a lot of black smoke. It’s very toxic smoke to not only our firefighters but to anybody in the vicinity,” Fire Department Battalion Chief Dave Campos told KABC-TV.
At least 50 firefighters poured streams of water and foam onto the site. Authorities closed a major freeway interchange, choking rush hour traffic for miles, California Highway Patrol Officer Maurice Walker said.
Employees at the yard said the blaze started around 5 p.m. PDT and quickly spread across the 5-acre property.
Ramon Quintana, 29, said he was operating a forklift when about a dozen other employees noticed a box full of plastic burning. He said he was concerned that four propane tanks in the yard would explode.
“Everyone started running,” Quintana said. “I got scared and we got out of there.”
The owner of Unlimited Plastics, Rosa Rodriguez, said her business picks up industrial waste from other companies and recycles it.