Ohio Firefighters Battle Smoky Blaze at Recycling Facility

ADRIAN, Ohio -- A fire of undetermined origin fueled by plastics, cardboard, and wood at a recycling facility on Adrian's east side created thick, acrid smoke that could be seen from Hudson, 18 miles to the west, Saturday.

The fire, reported at 12:28 p.m. in the 1000 block of East Michigan Avenue, destroyed the wood-framed metal-clad structure.

By 6 p.m., only one section of wall that was reinforced by concrete block was left standing. An aerial ladder truck lifted a pair of firefighters over the smoldering remains to douse the remaining flames.

No injuries were reported, and the cause was undetermined, although the fire began outside and quickly spread to the building's eaves and then inside, said Adrian Fire Capt. Jim Dailey.

The affected structure was on a street lined with other decrepit buildings, some shuttered and others housing small businesses.

Captain Dailey said he could not determine the name of the recycling business.

Adrian fire crews were assisted by fire departments from 13 other agencies throughout the Lenawee County area, fire officials said. Adrian is 35 miles northwest of Toledo.

Captain Dailey said the structure was stacked full of cardboard and plastics.

"It was a dirty, nasty fire," he said.

An employee working outside noticed a fire in a pile of debris and called 911 when he realized he could not extinguish the blaze himself, Captain Dailey said.

A restaurant employee in Hudson said he saw the smoke billowing up from the recycling facility.

Streets in the immediate area were barricaded, and nearby residents were told to remain inside to avoid breathing the smoke.

Larry Bretthauer, who lives in a senior citizens complex near downtown, said he looked out his window and saw a darkened sky.

"I thought it was going to rain," Mr. Bretthauer said. "I looked out the door and thought, oh no, that isn't right."

Mr. Bretthauer and another Adrian resident, Marty Barnes, said other smaller fires have broken out at the recycling facility, although only one recently required fire crews to extinguish it.

"Sometimes [the smoke] will blow right to our houses ... you can't even go outside," Mr. Barnes aid. "It just stinks up our neighborhood and nobody cares."

Mr. Barnes called the site "a health hazard for the community" that should be cleaned up.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service