Manufacturing Plant Damaged in Blaze

A fire sparked by heat from a boiler room vent caused $15,000 in damage to a cardboard manufacturing plant early Wednesday, Orange County Fire Authority officials said.

Firefighters were called to Crocket Containers, in the 6200 block of Descanso Avenue, at 7:06 a.m.

Three engines, a firetruck and a paramedic unit responded to the fire, Capt. Scott Brown said. A sprinkler system on site held the fire in check until workers were able to pull a fire hose out of a hose locker and put the fire out.

Brown said the fire was caused by a phenomenon called “pyrophoric action,” where constant heat from a heat source lowers the ignition temperature of surrounding wood until it eventually ignites.

The vent from the boiler room was likely too close to the building’s wall or roof, he said.