The Alamo Recycling Center caught fire Friday after discarded airbags located outside the building exploded due to the heat, prompting authorities to warn residents about traveling in the area.
At approximately 4 p.m. Friday the Alamo Fire Department responded to a fire at the Alamo Recycling Center.
According to Alamo Fire Chief Roy Contreras, the center had received airbags that were placed outside the building on the southwest corner; however, they were not deflated which caused them to explode due to the extreme heat.
Temperatures in the area Friday reached 101 degrees Fahrenheit and the heat index was 107 degrees.
Authorities are working on confirming the company that delivered the airbags.
“The first initial one (airbag that exploded) — that was the strongest one. It did cause some houses to kind of shake,” Contreras said Saturday, adding that the tremble was felt at the fire station as well.
Contreras confirmed that while the fire has since been extinguished there is still some smoldering.
On Monday, he and his team will be using grapplers to remove scrap metal covering the smoldering in order to extinguish it completely.
Although the smoldering will continue to produce white smoke on the northwest corner of the center, Contreras reassured that there is no danger to the public and a fire watch is in effect in the area until Monday.
