Support NeoGAF

[HypnoDarkrai]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC63T-QO9gk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__Z6fe4o0TA

Evacuations and smoke advisories remained in effect for parts of Los Angeles County Wednesday due to a magnesium-fueled fire that broke out in a recycling plant in Maywood Tuesday and continued to burn more than 24 hours later.

Fire officials had hoped the fire in the 3500 block of Fruitland Avenue would burn itself out overnight, but realized there was nearly 10,000 pounds of magnesium after gaining access to the area Wednesday morning, Los Angeles County Fire Department Deputy Chief John B. Tripp said.

The Fire Department stopped using water to attack the fire shortly after it broke out Tuesday morning.

"The problem with magnesium is when water goes on it, it violently reacts," Inspector Randall Wright said after the fire broke out.

Several explosions occurred during the early firefight as crews initially used water to douse the flames.

Although crews were aware there could be magnesium at the recycling plant, Tripp said using water at that point was necessary to keep the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings and nearby homes.

Odors from the fire were strongest in Maywood, but had also been reported in areas of the San Fernando Valley, prompting the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue a smoke advisory.

Although impacts have diminished due to improving fire conditions, the advisory remained in effect Wednesday, the AQMD stated in an advisory.

The fire also forced about 300 people to evacuate their homes in the neighborhoods surround the fire, said Sgt. Brink with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Those evacuations were expected to continue through most of the day Wednesday, but authorities were helping people get inside their homes to retrieve medication and important paperwork, Brink said.

KTLA

 

[Stinkles]

The proximity of dangerous chemical storage and normal residential housing looks almost Texas-esque.

 

[HypnoDarkrai]

The proximity of dangerous chemical storage and normal residential housing looks almost Texas-esque.

The location is bordering Vernon

The city is primarily composed of industrial areas and touts itself as "Exclusively Industrial." Meatpacking plants and warehouses are common.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon,_California

 

[FortuneFaded]

And to think, they used to make Formula 1 cars using magnesium: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_RA302

 

[Wheeljack539]

This is pretty much the last thing that I ever thought my old neighborhood would show up in the news for.

 

[JadedWriter]

And to think, they used to make Formula 1 cars using magnesium: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_RA302

John Surtees is a very smart man for not jumping in a napalm bomb with an engine strapped to it.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

The location is bordering Vernon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon,_California

Yeah one side of the block is all commercial, the other side is all residential. Kind of frightening. Here's a map of exactly where the fire is if you want a clearer picture of life on the border of 'store your toxic stuff here' and 'raise your family here' zoning laws.

 

[FStop7]

And to think, they used to make Formula 1 cars using magnesium: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_RA302

And Le Mans cars, too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1955_Le_Mans_disaster

Over 80 fatalities and 120 injuries.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Yeah one side of the block is all commercial, the other side is all residential. Kind of frightening. Here's a map of exactly where the fire is if you want a clearer picture of life on the border of 'store your toxic stuff here' and 'raise your family here' zoning laws.

Wow. As you said, it's not even across the street. The industrial section begins literally in their back yards.