The Region - News from Feb. 27, 1987

More than 200 Newport Beach residents returned to their homes five days after fire at a nearby metal-plating company released a cloud of potentially toxic fumes. “The building is (now) completely empty of all hazardous materials,” Newport Beach Fire Department Battalion Chief Scott Allan said, but cleanup work is expected to continue through the weekend. Two nearby private schools, which were ordered closed on Wednesday while cleanup crews removed hazardous chemicals from Hixon Metal Finishing Co., also reopened. Cause of the blaze is under investigation.