About 20 firefighters responded to a blaze Friday night at the West Van Materials Recovery Center, 6601 N.W. Old Lower River Road.
The fire was ruled accidental.
The Vancouver Fire Department said the fire was difficult for crew to approach because it was inside a piece of machinery known as the hopper, which is used to break down trash to a manageable size.
“It took about 30 minutes to get best access for the hose lines to apply water,” said Darrin Deming, fire department public information officer. The fire was under control in about three hours.
Fortunately, there was no damage to the machine and “absolutely no dollar loss,” said Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli.
Scarpelli said the likely cause was friction inside the hopper as it broke down trash. The investigation is closed.
