Richmond recycling plant fire sends smoke, ash throughout Lower Mainland
Posted August 29, 2020 8:39 pm.
Last Updated August 29, 2020 11:21 pm.
RICHMOND (NEWS 1130) — Ash was falling from the sky in Surrey as plumes of black smoke from a fire at a Richmond recycling plant blew through the Lower Mainland Saturday evening.
NEWS 1130’s Ben Wilson was at the facility on Knox Way, a small street near the shore of the Fraser, in east Richmond.
BREAKING: video of a huge fire burning at a recycling yard in #RichmondBC on Knox Way off River Road between 6 & 7 Roads. @NEWS1130 @NEWS1130Traffic @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/2vftvWhyGR
— BEN WILSON (@BenWilsonThings) August 30, 2020
He said dozens of people had gathered to watch as crews from at least seven engines tried to contain the fire.
“It’s a heavily industrial area and what’s on fire right now is part of a recycling plant, a recycling yard that just mainly deals with cardboard, newspaper, household paper — stuff like that,” he said.
BREAKING: There’s a huge fire burning at a recycling yard in #RichmondBC on Knox Way off River Road between 6 & 7 Roads. @NEWS1130 @NEWS1130Traffic @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/HAHv95pGui
— BEN WILSON (@BenWilsonThings) August 30, 2020
“As a result of all this highly compacted paper product, it’s creating a ton of black, black smoke you can see all over the place.”
Richmond Fire Chief Tim Wilkinson said 29 firefighters were sent to respond, and initially “had some issued with water supply.”
The worst of the fire was outside of the building, with a number of small fires inside and the effort to put it out lasted a number of hours.
BREAKING: More images of a huge fire burning at a recycling yard in #RichmondBC on Knox Way off River Road between 6 & 7 Roads. @NEWS1130 @NEWS1130Traffic @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/72dguhMEkw
— BEN WILSON (@BenWilsonThings) August 30, 2020
“We have no injuries to civilians or firefighters at this time,” Wilkinson said.
NEWS 1130 listeners took photos from neighbouring cities including New Westminster, North Vancouver, Burnaby, and Vancouver.
The #Richmondfire from New West @NEWS1130 @CTVVancouver pic.twitter.com/xz7Te6udlV
— Lauren Ellis (@VancityWild1) August 30, 2020
The #RichmondFire from North Van. @NEWS1130 @CTVVancouver @GlobalBC pic.twitter.com/fidyr3oQ0r
— Chris Vincent (@mistermonkus) August 30, 2020
The smoke from the fire has carried far past New Westminster and will be clearing the Port Mann bridge pic.twitter.com/IbGFiCClSv
— William van Hoepen (@williamvhoepen) August 30, 2020
The view from West Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/WtOQ1E0mML
— Randy Rinaldo (@RanRinBC) August 30, 2020
