Local News in Brief : Fire Warning Issued on Incinerator Plant
Los Angeles County fire officials have warned that the City of Commerce refuse-to-energy plant does not have an adequate firefighting system and that a recent blaze could have resulted in serious injury or damage.
The warning was contained in a letter from county Assistant Fire Chief Michael D. Aviani to a City of Commerce official about a fire in the trash pit of the plant on March 7. There were no injuries and damage was limited to the facility’s roof, but it took firefighters about five hours to put out the flames. The cause of the fire is unknown.
The firefighting effort was slowed because the plant is not properly equipped with water cannons and the plant’s automatic roof vents malfunctioned, Aviani said.
The high-tech incinerator is run by the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts in conjunction with the City of Commerce. It is capable of burning 420 tons of non-hazardous garbage a day to provide electricity to about 20,000 homes.
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