Firefighters will remain on the scene of three-alarm fire at a San Jose recycling facility as they break apart bales of newspaper and cardboard still smoldering after a stubborn fire that took nearly four hours to control, a fire captain said.
The fire was first reported at 6:04 p.m. at the facility on East Alma Avenue between South Seventh and South 10th streets, Capt. Rob Brown said.
Firefighters arrived to find a fire at the facility spreading throughout the lot, about 100 yards long and 40 yards wide, with the bales of bound cardboard and paper for recycling in flames.
The response was quickly raised to two alarms and eventually to three alarms as firefighters fought to control the blaze, Brown said.
It eventually was called under control at 9:41 p.m., but firefighters will remain at the scene throughout the night and into the morning breaking apart the bales and dousing them with water to extinguish any smoldering remnants.
The metal structure of the building remains intact, but there is most likely extensive fire damage to the machinery inside, Brown said.
The business was closed for the day at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.
