Four-alarm blaze hits Anaheim paper recycling plant

Firefighters from Anaheim Fire and Rescue and surrounding communities knocked down a four-alarm blaze at a paper recycling business early Friday.

The blaze was reported just before 11 p.m. Thursday in the 900 block of East South Street, Anaheim police Sgt. Shane Carringersaid. 

First arriving units observed thick smoke leading to a large fire in an outdoor rubbish pit, Carringer said. The response quickly grew to a fourth alarm and Anaheim firefighters were aided by units from the Orange County Fire Authority, Brea, the cities of Orange and Fullerton.

Video from the scene showed flames lighting up the area.

"During the firefighting efforts they recognized the need to evacuate a bank of newly built condominiums to the west," he said. Forty to 50 residents were evacuated until the fire was knocked down at 12:33 a.m. Friday.

Bulldozers and other heavy equipment were tasked with helping firefighters put out all hot spots in the pit, Carringer said. Arson investigators will take over the probe into the cause of the fire.

Nearby buildings may have sustained some heat damage but the flames did not spread to structures, he said.  No injuries were reported.