A massive fire engulfed a metal recycling facility in South El Monte on January 28, quickly escalating to a third-alarm commercial building fire, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The fiery incident, which broke out around 2:30 p.m. on North Tyler Avenue, prompted an urgent shelter-in-place order for nearby residents as firefighters from multiple units responded to the scene. In a report by NBC Los Angeles, eyewitness David Chan, whose business was among those evacuated, recalled, "When we heard the explosion, we thought our lives were in danger. We ran out to take a look and there’s smoke everywhere and you see the fire and smoke," further stating, "They said, 'You have 10 seconds to move from this area.' We left." The thick smoke poured into local neighborhoods for hours, as NBC Los Angeles captured the extensive response by emergency services.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department disseminated real-time updates through their official Facebook page, detailing the spread and containment efforts of the dangerous blaze. Having observed the fire and smoke on arrival, firefighters took immediate action as the incident commander called for additional support, including second and third alarm resources. With the shelter-in-place mandate issued for surrounding areas, the department aimed to reduce residents' exposure to the smoke. While the Facebook post confirmed that no injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported, the exact cause of the fire continued to be a subject under investigation.
Adjacent businesses, caught in the unfolding drama, were forced to evacuate with little notice, a sudden dispersal sparked by explosions at the recycling facility. The unrest continued throughout the day, with FOX 11 News reporting on the emergency response, observing sparks flying from the structure at multiple points. By 3 p.m., details regarding potential injuries remained scarce, and the fire's origin remained unknown, as firefighters labored to extinguish the inferno, which was mirrored by SkyFOX's live coverage.
The shelter-in-place order was eventually lifted around 10:30 p.m., an improvement indicating that the danger posed by the fire was abating. The Los Angeles County Fire Department asserted their presence in the following hours, ensuring the containment of the fire to the two neighboring buildings that initially ignited. As stated by NBC Los Angeles, it's unclear whether any injuries have been connected with the inferno, with the investigation into its precipitating causes still ongoing. The atmospheric unease that earlier blanketed South El Monte has, for now, given way to a clearer sky, as the community grapples with the day's fiery unease and the uncertain aftermath that now lies before them.
