Newport Beach : Short Circuit Cited in Chemical Fire at Plant

A wiring short circuit ignited last month’s toxic-chemical fire in a metal-finishing plant that eventually forced about 200 people from their homes for four days, Fire Department officials said Wednesday.

The overheated wiring set a wooden wall and other materials on fire in the precious-metals room of Hixson Metal Finishing, Newport Beach Fire Chief James Reed said.

After evaluating investigators’ reports, the Fire Department may seek reimbursement of its firefighting costs from plant owner Robert Hixson, depending on whether negligence is found, Reed said.

With more than 140 metal-finishing chemicals stored in the plant at the time of the Feb. 22 blaze, high concentrations of acids and cyanide were spread in the air by smoke from the fire.

Authorities originally had evacuated more than 400 residents from a nearby apartment complex and mobile home park, but about half were allowed to return home within 24 hours.

The remaining 200 evacuees spent four days with friends or in hotels as the area was cleared of toxins.