FIRE DAMAGED A LE MARS RECYCLING CENTER WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
LE MARS FIRE-RESCUE WAS DISPATCHED TO VAN’S SANITATION IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREA OF THAT CITY JUST AFTER 3:30 P.M.
FIREFIGHTERS FOUND A SEMI-TRAILER FULL OF RECYCLED MATERIALS ON FIRE AND THE FIRE HAD SPREAD TO SEVERAL LARGE BALES OF RECYCLED PLASTICS, SHREDDED PAPER, AND ALUMINUM.
THE BUILDING’S SPRINKLER SYSTEM SLOWED THE FIRE, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL IN APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES.
FIREFIGHTERS WERE ON THE SCENE FOR OVER THREE HOURS IN MID 90 DEGREE TEMPERATURES..
THE CAUSE FOR THE FIRE WAS DETERMINED TO BE ACCIDENTAL WITH THE MOST PROBABLE CAUSE BEING A LITHIUM BATTERY THAT EXPLODED FROM OVERHEATING.
ONE EMPLOYEE SUFFERED MINOR BURNS AND WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE BY THE LE MARS FIRE-RESCUE.
