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Warren Industrial Recycling Center Destroyed In Fire

WARREN (WWJ) - An investigation will be conducted to find out what caused a fire that destroyed a recycling center in Warren on Saturday.  It occurred in a building that recycles construction debris at Metro Sanitation on Hoover Road.

Warren Fire Commissioner Skip McAdams said no one was hurt, but the building will be completely lost.

"This is a recycling industrial facility for construction debris," McAdams said. "It appears that while separating construction materials -- sorting them into various types -- that something ignited and set the whole building on fire."

McAdams believes the fire started as construction debris was being recycled.

"Probably during the separation process, they use cutting materials, cutting equipment, and or machines to run the stuff through to put it into more manageable pieces," he said. "Without an actual investigation, which we will be conducting, we assume it's part of this process."

McAdams said that the summer heat made it a tough fire to fight.

"They're wearing full protective gear, including a SCBA to breathe with," McAdams said. "We're rotating crews and rotating them into a cold zone with a full rehab of fluids and air conditioning."

That fire sent plumes of smoke in the air that could be seen for miles; and, while the air quality tested OK, McAdams advised that nearby residents to remain indoors.

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