Northeast Philadelphia recycling plant closed by two-alarm fire
One firefighter was treated for minor injuries after the blaze at the Waste Management recycling plant.
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A Waste Management trash recycling plant in Northeast Philadelphia is expected to remain out of operation until Wednesday after a two-alarm fire Sunday night left a pile of smoldering, saturated rubbish at the facility.
It took four hours for firefighters to control the blaze at the plant in the 5200 block of Bleigh Avenue in Holmesburg. One firefighter was treated for minor injuries at a hospital, the fire department said.
The fire was reported at 6:46 p.m., went to a second alarm at 7:55 p.m., and was declared under control at 10:54 p.m., though firefighters remained at the scene into Monday morning because the rubble continued to smolder.
The large sheet-metal-clad facility opened in 2011 to sort recyclable plastic, metal, and paper into marketable commodities.
John Hambrose, a Waste Management spokesperson, said the fire was contained to a stockpile of inbound recyclable materials outside the building, which was closed at the time.
The building did not sustain damage and the company was removing materials that were saturated by water during firefighting effort, Hambrose said. He said power also had been shut off to the plant.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Hambrose said the company was “thankful for the quick and capable work of the Philadelphia Fire Department and the other first responders who were at our facility overnight.”