Operations & Training

Watch NM Firefighters Battle Massive Recycling Center Blaze

Sept. 29, 2020

Twenty Albuquerque Fire Rescue units, as well as a foam truck from Kirkland Air Force Base and crews from the Bernalillo County Fire Department, responded to the large recycling yard fire.

By Anthony Jackson

Source Albuquerque Journal, N.M.

Crews from AlAlbuquerque, NM, Fire Rescue and the Bernalillo County Fire Department tackled a massive blaze that erupted at a recycling yard Tuesday.

The large fire at the recycling yard off Edith near Griegos spewing huge columns of black smoke skyward since late morning has been contained, according to Capt. Martin Salazar, a spokesman for Albuquerque Fire Rescue.

“You can actually see the transition of smoke from black, which typically shows products of combustion or hydrocarbons burning, to it lightening up,” Salazar said.

Salazar said there were no injuries or damage to the structure as the fire was confined to the parking lot’s piles of cardboard and plastic.

The intensity of the billowing stack of black smoke rising against Tuesday afternoon’s blue skies prompted the City of Albuquerque to release an air quality health alert.

“The fire may be burning plastics and other substances that emit hazardous air pollutants when burning. Near the fire, air quality could be unhealthy. Everyone should avoid exposure to this smoke. Avoid the area of the fire or stay indoors if not possible,” the city’s health alert said.

The health alert is active until 6 p.m. today.

As commuters on Montaño passed the fire on Edith, flames could be seen from the area

Earlier in the afternoon Gourdan Weare was in her kitchen when she first noticed the smoke stack coming from the recycling center, less than half a mile away.

“I can feel the heat by just standing here,” Weare told the Journal.

Across from Weare’s home were stacks of cardboard and other recycling materials.

“If anything hits that, it’s gonna move quick. And that’s what’s scary,” Weare said.

Residents in Weare’s, North Valley cul-de-sac community were standing on top of cars and watching with a front row view as Bernalillo County and Albuquerque firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

John Tittmann, who stopped the view the fire from the same area, said his son is Albuquerque firefighter. He said he was trying to capture a photo of the fire to send to his son, Miguel Tittmann.

“He’s a lieutenant that operates a ladder truck out of station four,” Tittmann said, watching water being poured onto the flames. “That’s probably his truck. They’re well trained and they know what they’re doing.”

Journal Staff Writer Matthew Reisen contributed to this report.

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