Crews respond to massive fire at Redwood City [CA] metal scrapyard

KRON TV / Yahoo! ^ | May 22, 2024 | Hamza Fahmy

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The Redwood City [CA] Fire Department and Mountain View [CA] Fire Department crews are responding to a large fire at Sims Metal, a metal recycling facility on Seaport Blvd. in Redwood City. Fire officials shared news of the fire at approximately 3:20 p.m.

Thick, dark smoke is in the air, accompanied by “the smell of burning plastic,” fire crews said.

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Officials said there is potential for smoke impacts in the area and downwind neighborhoods. Smoke is making its way to Sunnyvale, but Sunnyvale’s Department of Public Safety said there is no active fire as of this report.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District said inspectors are currently investigating the cause of the fire.

All residents nearby are recommended to avoid exposure by remaining indoors with windows and doors closed, officials said.

Injuries have yet to be shared by fire officials.

For the time being, Mountain View fire officials asked not to call 9-1-1 “unless you see an active fire.”

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The air was clear here on the San Francisco Peninsula 90 minutes ago. I drove down to Sunnyvale for a couple of errands and when I came out of one store the acrid burning plastic smell and smoky haze had rolled over the town and the mountains. Sure is foul. The uncontrolled smoke and chemicals from one fire like this exceed the emissions from power plants by orders of magnitude!

[Reno89519]

How does a “metal scrapeyard” burn?

[Leaning Right]

> How does a “metal scrapyard” burn? <

Metals will burn when in small pieces. Or if the temperature is high enough.
Here’s a short video of iron filings burning:
https://youtu.be/tZBoKYmmYkI?si=llckKKUJMdtJ-bSr

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I’m guessing it’s a scrap auto yard even though the article says “metal scrapyard.
The smoke is clearly from burning plastic. It’s very acrid, even 13 miles southeast from the fire.

[HandyDandy]

Magnesium filings burn intensely. Like fireworks. You need a special grade fire extinguisher to put them out.

[Organic Panic]

I turn away projects made from Magnesium. Once magnesium starts its reaction there is nothing stopping it.

My cousin lives just outside Redwood City. I will give a call.

I am going to assume it is illegal alien created.

[Noumenon]

I was thinking it was the Oracle building. Is it still there?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The Oracle building is there, but Oracle decamped for Texas a few years ago. I'm not sure who occupies that campus these days.

The Oracle Park campus is 3.6 miles from the Sims Recycling Plant...

[Noumenon]

Many years ago, I worked for DHL doing database stuff. Same area as Oracle.

[ehvsteve]

would not surprise me if there was a Lithium Ion battery involved that led to the fire.

[Nifster]

Very hot