Hazmat crew cleaning up 'chemical soup' left after 4-alarm fire
SAN JOSE (KTVU & Wires) – A hazardous materials crew is cleaning up a "chemical soup" at an automotive plating and metal work business in North San Jose where a four-alarm fire took place earlier Tuesday morning, a fire captain said.
The blaze left puddles combined of chemicals, including a variety of acids, and etching materials, San Jose fire Capt. Mike Van Elgort said.
An employee at a nearby business had reported a fire at an industrial complex in the 400 block of Reynolds Circle near U.S. Highway 101 around 12:30 a.m., Van Elgort said.
Arriving firefighters found the blaze at Haro's Metal Finishing inside a large tilt-up commercial building, he said.
A sign indicating that hazardous materials are inside is posted on the outside of the building, according to Van Elgort.
A four-alarm response was quickly called for and the blaze was contained by about 2 a.m., Van Elgort said.
About 80 firefighters responded to the scene and 45 of them needed to undergo decontamination procedures, he said.
No injuries were reported.
No evacuations or shelter in place orders were needed while firefighters battled the blaze, Van Elgort said.
The business where the fire started is closed for the day and has hired a private company to clean up the puddles of contaminated water left by the blaze, he said.
Other neighboring businesses are closed since access has been closed off to the industrial complex, Van Elgort said.
Two fire crews remained at the scene this morning to put out any hot spots, according to Van Elgort.
Other agencies including the Santa Clara County Fire Department and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife were called to the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.