Fire rips through Box Elder County recycling plant

DEWEYVILLE, Box Elder County — Fire and accompanying explosions ripped through a plastics recycling building on Wednesday, decimating the structure.

Welders at Hillside Recycling, 12090 N. state Route 38 in Deweyville, were working on site about 1 p.m., when sparks from their equipment caught a wood pile on fire. The flames quickly spread through the building and caused an estimated $1 million in damage.

Witness Todd Johnsen said there were plenty of explosions because of all the equipment inside, which was also destroyed.

"They had propane tanks inside on forklifts that (were) exploding," he said. "It basically got so hot that the tin sides melted and collapsed in on itself."

The fire also caused a transformer outside the building to explode and forced the closure of state Route 38 from Tremonton into Logan for about four hours. It was reopened at 6 p.m.

Box Elder County public safety dispatchers said the fire continues to burn at the plant and crews will remain on the scene through the night as a precaution.

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