Firefighters battle fire at Southeast Portland recycling facility

Firefighters are battling a commercial fire at a Southeast Portland recycling facility.

The one-alarm fire, which started just after 4:30 p.m. Saturday, took over a yard of Honda Civic-sized bales of plastic at WestRock, a recycling exchange facility at 6328 S.E. 100th Ave. The bales, which were awaiting transport, were stacked close together and 3-to-4 stories high, said Capt. Louisa Jones, Public Information Officer for Portland Fire & Rescue.

Currently, firefighters have three master streams spraying thousands of gallons of water on the fire while a front loader pulls some of the piles apart to get water between the bales.

The material currently on fire is also separated from other bales in the yard by concrete walls, Jones said.

The recycling facility is located at a "dead end hydrant loop" which required firefighters to close Southeast Foster Avenue between 99th and 104th in order to get more water, Jones said.

No homes or structures in the adjacent residential area are threatened, Jones said, and no injuries have been reported. Anyone in the vicinity with respiratory problems should stay indoors, Jones added.

Firefighters will likely be spreading water on the fire for another day or two, Jones said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

-- Samantha Bakall

sbakall@oregonian.com

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