ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA — A fire broke out at a chemical company in an industrial area of Anaheim on Friday afternoon and left 3 people injured, authorities said.
The blaze was reported at 3:12 p.m., Friday, June 9, and black clouds of smoke could be seen above the business at 3800 E. Miraloma Ave. The business where the fire burned is American Chemical and Sanitary Supply Inc., which provides janitorial and sanitary supplies such as paper and cleaners to commercial companies, according to its website.
Anaheim firefighters pour water on a blaze at the American Chemical and Sanitary Supply company in Anaheim on Friday, June 9, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The fire prompted the evacuation of the surrounding businesses. Dozens of people were standing on the street as the fire burned, which was fought by firefighters from Anaheim, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Orange and the Orange County Fire Authority.
One employee of the business and two Fullerton firefighters were injured, according to Sgt. Daron Wyatt of the Anaheim Police Department. The employee injury is considered non-life-threatening. One firefighter is being treated for heat exhaustion and the other for an electrical injury, according to Wyatt.
Business owner Luis Salazar told NBC4 that the 10 to 15 people who were inside when the fire erupted got out OK, but one woman ran back to get her purse and apparently sustained an ankle injury.
Hazmat crews responded to the scene because the 30,000-square-foot warehouse contained many chemicals and cleaning supplies, Wyatt said.
Just before 5 p.m., the fire was contained, Wyatt said and it was under control by 7:15 p.m. He said it’s not yet known what caused the blaze.
Some employees of surrounding businesses say they heard pops during the fire but authorities have not said if there was any sort of explosion during the blaze.
Frank Smith, who works in a nearby office, was standing by as firefighters continue to shoot streams of water into the collapsed roof.
“I heard some pops, which I think might have been bottles that they had there .. and you can kind of smell like a chemical-type smell in the air,” Smith said.
Miraloma was closed in both directions between Van Buren and Tustin avenues while crews battled the fire.