Fire crews battle recycling facility fire in Surprise

Crews continue to battle AZ recycling plant fire

Crews with multiple fire agencies continue to battle a fire that is burning at a recycling facility in the far northwest Valley. FOX 10's Nicole Krasean has the latest.

SURPRISE, Ariz. - Crews with multiple fire departments battled a big fire at a recycling plant in the far northwest Valley.

*Update: As of April 26, the fire is contained and mop-up efforts are underway. Smoke may still be visible until all hot spots are extinguished. 

What we know:

The fire is burning near Deer Valley Road and 195th Avenue, and materials continued to burn into the night. Firefighters faced challenges, including wind and the rural location.

"With the instability of the building after the collapse, firefighters are not entering that area," Surprise Fire said on the evening of April 25. "Additional heavy equipment is being brought in to help separate all of the building material and recycling material. This process is expected to continue through at least the middle of next week.

"There's no great water locations out here, so water's a challenge," said Surprise Fire Department battalion chief Larry Subervi. "

No injuries have been reported, and fire officials say crews even managed to rescue a small cat early in the firefighting efforts. Anyone experiencing difficulty breathing is urged to call 911. 

Officials said the landfill area is open, "but the recycling area is expected to be closed for an extended and undetermined time."

Local perspective:

Gavin and Sergio were out riding dirt bikes when they noticed the billowing smoke from the site.

"This morning, it was pretty chill, but then the wind started picking up, and the building started to go down," said Sergio.

"I've seen a fire, but not as big," said Gavin.

Janell Perkins lives within two miles of the facility, and she noticed the fire while she was on her way back from taking a child to school.

"As we were coming down 163rd [Avenue], there were five fire trucks just flying by," Perkins said.

Some in the area, like Perkins, have expressed concerns over the fire's impact on air quality.

"I'm on the far side of the neighborhood, so I’m like a mile and a half away, but yes, I’ve got five little kids, so it’s gonna be tough," said Perkins. "I feel sorry for the community and the houses that are so close, because they smell the landfill anyway and everything, and now it’s this and all the pollution."

"For the people that live in the immediate area, we are telling them to keep their windows closed, and their doors closed," said Subervi. "It is, right now, a relatively clean smoke, as clean as smoke can be. It is recyclable materials that are in there, so it is a mix of paper products as well as plastics, so the plastics are the things that we would be the most concerned about."

What we don't know:

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and remains under investigation. 

Map of the area