Dramatic fire rages overnight at New Westminster recycling facility
Flames sent black pillar of smoke into sky late Monday; fire now mostly put out
Fire crews are still dousing a massive fire burning at a plastic recycling depot in the New Westminster's Queensborough area, nearly 12 hours after the fire began.
Witnesses began seeing flames several storeys high and smoke in thick black columns near the Annacis Island Swing Bridge, in the area of Derwent Way and Salter Street, around 7:30 p.m. PT on Monday.
Photos showed the orange glow of flames illuminating plumes of smoke over the city, the scene visible from blocks away.
City officials asked the public to avoid the area. Nearby residents were told they should close their windows and stay inside to avoid the smoke.
Fire crews from New Westminster and neighbouring cities worked to control the four-alarm fire overnight. They appeared to be in the cleanup stage by Tuesday morning, with no smoke visible.
The fire came nearly one month to the day after another blaze destroyed a portion of New Westminster Pier Park. That fire — which reached timber that was treated with a flammable, coal-tar based preservative — was finally extinguished after 10 days.
