Fire damages aluminum forging plant in Orange

ORANGE, Calif. - A plant that produces aluminum aircraft parts in the city of Orange erupted into flames Wednesday and firefighters from four departments spent hours putting them out, authorities said.

The fire was reported about 1:25 a.m. at Quality Aluminum Forge at 820 North Cypress Street, Orange Fire Capt. Ian MacDonald told City News Service.

When the battalion chief arrived, he immediately ordered a third-alarm response "due to the size and intensity of the fire," MacDonald said.

The 55 firefighters from Orange, Anaheim, Orange County Fire Authority and Garden Grove surrounded the structure and fought a defensive battle from outside with aerial ladders and large volume hose streams, he said.

While an official knockdown time was not announced, the firefighter force was reduced and mop up was underway before 4 a.m., MacDonald said.

No civilians or firefighters were injured, he said.

Workers were inside the building when the fire broke out and got out safely, MacDonald said. They told firefighters a hydraulic line broke and sprayed fluid on a hot surface, touching off the fire, he said. Investigators were working to confirm that chain of events.

Firefighters were concerned about a large propane tank in the rear and hazardous materials inside but they proved not to be an issue, MacDonald said.

A city building official will evaluate the integrity of the remaining structure, he said.

CNS contributed to this report.