LOCAL : Saugus Fire Releases Toxic Fumes
A fire of unknown origin burned plastic pipes at a Saugus plumbing equipment yard, releasing potentially carcinogenic fumes into the air, but no one was injured, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said today.
The fire at the Wilcox Plumbing Co. storage yard in the 22500 block of Fifth Street was reported at 7:43 p.m. and extinguished about 20 minutes later, said county fire dispatcher Ruben Sandoval.
Arson experts and sheriff’s deputies are investigating the cause of the fire, Sandoval said.
About $25,000 worth of pipe made of polyvinyl chloride was burned. Sandoval said light wind and quick work in extinguishing the fire prevented the fumes from spreading.
“There was almost no wind, so the fumes all went straight up,” Sandoval said.
No evacuations were required in the largely commercial area. About 25 firefighters, wearing protective clothing, put the fire out.
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