$25,000 in PVC Pipe Burns in Saugus Fire
A fire of unknown origin burned plastic pipes at a Saugus plumbing equipment yard, releasing potentially carcinogenic fumes, but no one was injured, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said Monday.
The fire at the Wilcox Plumbing Co. storage yard, in the 22500 block of 5th Street, was reported at 7:43 p.m. The blaze was extinguished 20 minutes later by about 25 firefighters wearing protective clothing, said county fire dispatcher Ruben Sandoval.
The cause of the fire was unknown, but arson experts and sheriff’s deputies were investigating, Sandoval said. About $25,000 worth of PVC pipe, made of polyvinyl chloride, was burned, but Sandoval said the light wind and the short duration of the fire prevented the fumes from spreading.
“There was almost no wind, so the fumes all went straight up,” Sandoval said.
Evacuation of the largely commercial area was not required.
PVC pipe is commonly used in plumbing for drainage and cold-water transfer.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
