Nearly 100 firefighters were called into action to contain a blaze at a recycling facility in south Sacramento on Thursday, per reports from the Sacramento Fire Department. Smoke billowed high above Florin Perkins Road as a four-alarm fire engulfed the area, initially sparked by what was thought to be a trash fire before escalating, according to ABC10. This particularly dense smoke plume could be witnessed across the city, with sightings as far as Stockton reported, prompting a strong advisory from Sac Metro Air District for residents to remain indoors or vacate the vicinity to avoid breathing in the unhealthy smoke.
Tasked with keeping the inferno from reaching nearby motorhomes and businesses, firefighters encountered difficulty due to the heavy load of plastic, metals, and cardboard within the plant, described Captain Justin Sylvia in a statement obtained by KCRA 3. According to a report by ABC10, the fire prompted closures of several roads and suspension of nearby train services, affecting Florin Perkins and Fruitridge, Belvedere and Florin Perkins, and the intersection of 84th St. and 24th Avenue for numerous hours.
"Firefighters are working to keep the fire from spreading to nearby motorhomes and other businesses in the area," Sacramento Fire Department spokesperson Justin Sylvia told KCRA 3. "It is going to take a long time to extinguish this fire." Fortunately, amidst the firefighting efforts, there have been no injuries reported.
