Tractor Catches Fire Inside Murrieta Recycling Plant

A tractor caught fire Wednesday inside a Murrieta recycling plant.

Flames were reported at 4:40 p.m. at SA Recycling, 41400 Date St., according to Matt Corelli, Murrieta firefighter/engineer.

There were "multiple reports of smoke and flames showing" from the business that collects materials for recycling, Corelli said, in a news release.

"The first crews arrived within seven minutes to find smoke coming from the building."

A total of 26 firefighters—17 from the Murrieta Fire Department and eight from CAL Fire—extinguished the blaze by 5:06 p.m., he said.

The cause of the fire was determined to be welding equipment that ignited a small tractor inside the facility, he said.

The initial damage assessment was estimated to be $35,000, including smoke damage to the structure, according to Corelli.

People who were in the front office area of the building were not affected by the fire, he said.

In August 2012, a blaze broke out in a scrap pile at the same business.