Six acres of cardboard packing material adjacent to the Firestone Industrial Park in Salinas burned for several hours Wednesday night, forcing evacuations and the partial closing of southbound Highway 101.
Flames ignited at 6 p.m. at the industrial park on Abbott Street near Harris Road.
The business where the fire is believed to have started, Robert Mann Packaging, occupies 200,000 square feet inside the former Firestone plant and 250,000 square feet of outdoor space, where it stores cardboard containers.
Spot fires broke out on the roof of the old Firestone Tire and Rubber factory, a 14-acre covered area, causing a liquid propane tank to vent, said Harry Robins, spokesman for the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services. Worried that it might explode, fire crews quickly doused the tank with water.
No major housing developments are in the area, only individual farm homes.
Apparently the fire began adjacent to the park and was fueled by agricultural packing materials. Robins said the cause of the fire is under investigation, and that an arson investigator was at the scene.
More than 20 fire engines from various Monterey County agencies fought the blaze, which was brought under control about 9:30 p.m., but crews were expected to remain there through the night.
