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Los Alamitos : Test for New Car Wax Goes Awry, Sparks Fire

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The owner of a small chemical company in Los Alamitos was injured when fire destroyed half of his plant, causing an estimated $340,000 in damage, officials said Thursday.

The fire broke out about 9 p.m. Wednesday at BCB Products on Noel Avenue near Katella Avenue, as the owner was mixing chemicals to develop a new type of car wax, Fire Capt. Hank Raymond said.

The owner, whose name was not released, tried to fight the flames with a fire extinguisher. But several barrels of toluene, a highly flammable liquid used as a base for paint thinner, exploded in the fire.

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When firefighters arrived, the flames had reached 30 feet, Raymond said. After an hour, they had controlled the fire.

The owner suffered minor burns. He refused to go to a hospital and was treated by paramedics at the scene.

The fire damaged all eight units in the business center, which is owned by Lairport Properties. Three units were gutted.

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The company manufactures waxes and cleaning solutions, Raymond said.

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