Community Risk

Calif. Firefighters Battle 9-Hour Recycling Plant Fire

Sept. 7, 2013

A fire at a paper goods recycling plant caused a smoky two-alarm fire that burned for more than nine hours in Stockton.

Source The Record, Stockton, Calif.

Sept. 07--STOCKTON -- A smoky fire dominated the east Stockton skyline early Friday as paper goods being prepped for recycling at a transfer station caught fire, prompting the Stockton Fire Department to call for two alarms.

The highly combustible newsprint, cardboard, paper and other materials burned and smoldered for more than nine hours before firefighters finally stopped applying massive amounts of water to the blaze that covered an area the size of a football field at the East Stockton Transfer Recycling Station, 2435 E. Weber Ave. at Filbert Street.

The fire was first reported at 12:15 a.m. Friday and quickly went to a second alarm because of the large amount of combustible material at the scene, chief's operator Matt Harris said. Off-duty firefighters were called in, as fire crews were expected to remain at scene throughout the day Friday.

No injuries were reported and no structural damage was listed, Harris said. No one at the transfer station could be contacted for comment.

The cause is being investigated.