Warehouse Fire Misses Stored Toxic Chemicals

A fire in a Fountain Valley warehouse that contained toxic chemicals was extinguished Friday morning before the flames reached the chemicals, fire officials said.

The blaze at the Omni Metal Finishing Co. building at 11665 Coley River Circle broke out about 7 a.m. but was partially contained by sprinklers and extinguished in about an hour, according to Fountain Valley Fire Marshal Lynne Michaelis.

Officials said the blaze apparently occurred when a thermostat regulating the temperature of an acid vat malfunctioned, igniting a plastic inner lining.

Michaelis said sodium cyanide and other hazardous materials were stored in a metal cabinet in a part of the building untouched by the fire. The plant owner had previously notified fire officials of the chemicals stored in the building, enabling firefighters to guard against possible contamination, she added.

Units from Fountain Valley and Santa Ana responded to the fire. A four-man hazardous materials team from Huntington Beach also was called to the scene as a precautionary measure, Michaelis said.

Damage to the building will probably exceed $50,000.