Los Alamitos : Test for New Car Wax Goes Awry, Sparks Fire
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.
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.
The company manufactures waxes and cleaning solutions, Raymond said.
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