Accidental mechanical fire causes blaze at Republic Services plant

No one was injured, department spokesman Cedric Williams said, and every­one who was on shift at the Republic Services plant was evacuated. More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene from three different fire departments.

Firefighters responded at 5:43 p.m. to the site at 333 W. Gowan Road, near the intersection with North Commerce Street, when the fire started outside, sending up flames as high as 50 feet.

“Firefighters have been able to get a really good handle on it,” Williams said Monday evening. After the flames were controlled and the smoke stopped billowing, firefighters continued to drench the area with water.

Republic Services accepts many flammable materials such as paint thinners, fertilizers, gasoline, lighter fluid and cooking and automobile oil. The company also takes batteries and old electronics.

Hazardous materials are stored on site, Williams said, but not close enough to the blaze to be a concern. The fire fed mainly on bundles of cardboard and plastics. Firefighters and Republic Services employees were cutting apart each bundle to make sure nothing was smoldering. During this process, a bundle flared up into flames but firefighters got it under control quickly.

About 70 workers were present when the fire happened, Republic Services spokesman Tim Powell said. The blaze was an accidental mechanical fire, according to fire officials. No damage estimate was released.