Explosion-Punctuated Fire Guts Metal Plant in Orange

A metal-processing firm in Orange erupted in flames Wednesday, prompting the evacuation of several surrounding businesses while firefighters battled the blaze and a series of explosions for nearly 90 minutes, fire officials said.

“Everything that was burnable burned” inside P.G.M. Metal Products Co., Fire Chief Martel Thompson said.

There were no injuries, Thompson said. He had no immediate damage estimate for the 2,500-square-foot building.

“Everything inside was destroyed. The walls are still standing, but the roof is gone,” Thompson said.

Because of the billowing clouds of heavy black smoke tinged with yellow, firefighters were initially concerned that hazardous substances were burning inside the plant in the 900 block of North Batavia Street, Thompson said.

But James R. Davidson, a specialist with the Orange County Sanitation District, said he did not detect hazardous chemicals in a test of water running from the site. Thompson added that preliminary studies of air quality and ground soil revealed no public health threats.

A worker at the plant, where metal auto parts are processed with a powdery substance, reported the blaze at 4:33 p.m. A second alarm was called 15 minutes later. At about 5:30 p.m., firefighters evacuated all employees from businesses that had not already closed for the day on nearby Parker Street. The number of evacuees was not immediately known, Thompson said.

Fire officials said the series of explosions occurred inside the building sometime before the fire was controlled about 6 p.m., but firefighters were not sure of the cause.

Police blocked surrounding streets and provided traffic control for two hours after the blaze started.

The smell of burning plastic filtered into the neighborhood, a heavy industrial area with a few shops. Officials said the odor was annoying, but not harmful.

The cause of the blaze remained under investigation late Wednesday.