Flames engulfed a foam production yard and burned for more than two hours after erupting in Orange early Wednesday morning.
The fire broke out about 12:30 a.m. on the 24-acre property located at 2060 North Batavia Street, Orange City Fire Capt. Ryan O’Connor said.
Responding crews took a defensive mode, using water towers and hose lines to protect the property’s main structure, and several others located nearby.
“There was a large amount of fire and since the fire was exterior, in their yard, our priority was to protect the structures,” O’Connor said.
Over 35 fire units responded to the incident and knocked down the blaze in about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
The intense heat and burning foam made it difficult to extinguish the blaze, which O’Connor said firefighters “did not purposely let burn.”
Crews were still at the scene working on hot spots long after the fire had been knocked down.
Employees working in the area initially reported the fire and managed to escape the area.
Rishi Saran, the vice president of a nearby business, said he got a call from an employee who got away just in time.
The employee “sounded very panicked” and was apparently lucky to escape, Saran said.
Saran said the company where the fire started uses chemicals, which he described as “pretty toxic” and “not something you want to be breathing in.”
Video from the scene showed massive flames burning in the yard and captured an explosion.
Crews managed to protect all the main structures from the blaze and no injuries were reported.
O’Connor said one or two outbuildings and a vehicle were lost in the fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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