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A photo from the Waco Fire Department posted online around 7:15 p.m. Monday shows stacks of materials aflame.

A Waco Fire Department snorkel shoots water at the Sunbright Paper Recycling fire.

A large industrial fire Monday evening caused closures on parts of Imperial Drive and Texas Central Parkway and damaged the hub of Sunbright Paper Recycling, the city of Waco’s main recycling partner.

The Waco Fire Department responded at 6:45 p.m. to the industrial fire at the facility at 701 Texas Central Parkway, a block from Fire Station No. 11 on Imperial Drive, fire officials said.

Some 45 firefighters continued to fight the blaze for about an hour with 17 fire trucks before the visible flames were extinguished, said Deputy Fire Chief Robbie Bergerson.

A Waco Fire Department snorkel truck douses the flames at Sunbright Paper Recycling.

A large amount of flammable material, including bundles of cardboard and other recyclables stored outside, caught fire, and firefighters worked to keep the material wet, Bergerson said.

Bergerson said the fire did not penetrate the interior of the facility, but heat from the exterior flames caused thermal damage to the walls.

He said it was possible firefighters would be on the scene all night dealing with hotspots and smoldering material.

One firefighter was transported to a local hospital due to dehydration and heat exhaustion, Bergerson said.

The facility was closed at the time of the fire, officials said. The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Sunbright recycles paper products and plastic from businesses and the city of Waco solid waste department. In a statement to the Tribune-Herald, solid waste director Kody Petillo said the immediate impact of the fire on city operations was difficult to assess “until we have a chance to speak to the Sunbright team.”

A 2019 Tribune-Herald article reported that Sunbright collects between 3,000 and 4,000 tons of recycling a year at an average of about 300 tons a month.

The company reported using about 70% to 80% of the material it gets, sending the rest to the Waco Regional Landfill.

The adjacent Packaging Corp. of America, formerly Englander Container, makes cardboard boxes.

A photo posted by the fire department showed wooden pallets and unidentified blocks of other materials aflame.

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Christopher De Los Santos is a U.S. Army veteran with a master’s degree in journalism from The University of Texas. He previously worked at the Williamson County Sun in Georgetown.

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A photo from the Waco Fire Department posted online around 7:15 p.m. Monday shows stacks of materials aflame.

A Waco Fire Department snorkel truck douses the flames at Sunbright Paper Recycling.

A Waco Fire Department snorkel shoots water at the Sunbright Paper Recycling fire.

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