Fire breaks out at local recycling center

EUREKA, Calif. (KIEM)-A fire breaks out at Humboldt Waste Management Authority around at about 6:30 Saturday evening.  

A sprinkler system helped prevent the fire from spreading, according to the Battalion Chief Tim Citro.  

“Reports of a structure fire after a system activation of waste management authority on West Hawthorne,” said Citro. “First units arrived on-scene and discovered heavy black smoke coming from the inside of the building inside the transfer station.  

“We had to force entry and discovered a large pile of garbage that had burning, the sprinkler system did activate and helped hold the fire.” 

Director of Administrative Services of Humboldt Waste Management Authority Tyler Egerger says, this happens rarely.  

“At 6:30 I received a call from our security company that there was a fire at the transfer station or that our sprinkler system fired an alert,” he said. “I decided to take a look and found out a few minutes later that there was smoke pouring out of the building.  

“I had assumed that some of the trash had caught on fire, it’s not a regular occasion but it will happen here and there, and we are usually here to address it, and of course Humboldt Bay Fire had everything taken care of.” 

No injuries were reported – the fire remains under investigation.  

Redwood News was able to reach Executive Director of HWMA for comment, she says Humboldt Fire is no longer on scene and her staff will monitor the transfer station overnight.