SANTA CLARA -- A shelter-in-place warning has been lifted near a recycling plant in Santa Clara where firefighters are continuing to battle a fire that started Wednesday afternoon, a city official said.

The fire was reported at about 12:30 p.m. at ECS Refining, a metal recycling company at 705 Reed St., near Lafayette Street, according to a fire dispatcher.

The company specializes in recycling "e-waste" such as computer or photo processing wastes.

A shelter-in-place warning was issued a short time after the fire was reported for a section of the city downwind of the blaze. The warning was lifted as of 3:25 p.m., Santa Clara public communications manager Dan Beerman said.

The fire required a four-alarm response at one point, and Santa Clara firefighters requested the assistance of San Jose and county firefighters, San Jose fire Capt. Charles Rangel said.

Rangel said the fire was burning some type of recycling materials in an open yard at the facility.

As of 2:40 p.m., Santa Clara Fire Chief Phil Kleinheinz released all crews from the mutual aid agencies, and firefighters began the overhaul stage of the response, which includes breaking through a crust created by the burning of the recycled materials to make sure the fire is out, according to Beerman.

"My understanding is the heat from the fire burns a crust over the top of the materials where the water can't break through, so they have to bust through the crust," a process that is expected to last until at least 5:30 p.m., Beerman said.

No injuries have been reported.

The fire was the second four-alarm blaze at the facility in the past three years. On Sept. 30, 2007, a fire consumed heaps of electronic recyclables and cardboard.

Smoke from that fire hospitalized two firefighters and two employees from nearby businesses with smoke inhalation.

Residents wishing to receive information about shelter-in-place warnings and other alerts in the city and county are encouraged to sign up at www.alertscc.com.