Massive fire in Phoenix prompts ‘largest response’ in local fire department’s history

PHOENIX — A massive fire that prompted the “largest response” in the history of the Phoenix Fire Department burned multiple recycling yards and commercial structures Saturday in west Phoenix, threatening nearby homes and filling the sky with clouds of smoke and flames.

The fire started at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday as a first-alarm fire at a recycling yard, said Phoenix Fire Department spokesman Capt. Todd Keller.

At about 3:30 p.m., the fire was upgraded to a Type 1 fire and had reached five commercial structures along with multiple recycling yards, officials said.

About 200 firefighters between 10 agencies were working on the fire Saturday afternoon. Roughly 800 customers were also impacted by a power outage in the area of the fire, according to an Arizona Public Service electric outage map. 

One firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition with a lower extremity injury, Keller said. He did not have further details about the injury.

Authorities at the scene were concerned that if the wind shifted, the fire could spread to homes. Phoenix police officers were on scene evacuating residents in the area.

Keller also said businesses in the area were evacuated Saturday afternoon. 

Fire crews were using ladders to reach the fire, Keller said. “We are in a defensive posture, which means we’re going to use our ladder pipes to hit the fire from an elevated position,” Keller said.

He also said Phoenix fire officials were evaluating the environmental impacts of the fire Saturday afternoon. 

Area residents and spectators from across the Valley stood on nearby streets to watch.