Blaze Involving Titanium at California Plant Underscores Hidden Industrial Hazards
Smoke from South El Monte recycling plant is visible for miles.
Recycling is touted to be good for the environment.
Furthermore, California has a plethora of air quality regulations that constrain businesses and are promoted as necessary for public health.
Well, both public health and the environment are being affected by a large commercial fire at a scrap metal recycling yard/metal shop in South El Monte, California. The blaze involves recycled metals, including titanium, and multiple propane tanks. Explosions have been reported.
Thick black smoke billows from a South El Monte recycling plant as Los Angeles County Fire Department crews are attempting to control the flames consuming the large building complex.
Aerial footage shows barrels and bins stacked around the complex in the 2200 block of N. Tyler Avenue as multiple fire hoses stream water onto the blaze, a 3rd alarm fire.
BREAKING: Major commercial structure fire burning at a metal shop in South El Monte, CA… hazardous materials including titanium and propane pic.twitter.com/XgalmLIwn4
— Chris Cristi (@abc7chriscristi) January 28, 2026
The plume of smoke emanating from the facility, P&T Metals recycling center, was visible for miles. Over 100 firefighters responded to the incident and a shelter-in-place order was issued for the public.
A shelter-in-place order was issued for people living and working nearby as crews monitor air and water runoff conditions.
…Video shows a massive plume of black smoke rising into the air in the neighborhood. The smoke was visible for miles.
The roof of the building was caving in due to the damage, and it appeared the building was a complete loss.
Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters are at the scene, working to extinguish the flames. Firefighters first arrived at approximately 2:31 p.m.
By 4 p.m., fewer flames were visible, but AIR7 watched as several explosions went off near the center of the building. The explosions sent even more smoke and sparks into the air.
#TylerIC seen from Pasadena now 3rd ALARM ! pic.twitter.com/5ICgbvM1s7
— Matt Hartman (@ShorealoneFilms) January 28, 2026
Titanium is a potentially combustible metal that is unusually difficult to extinguish once ignited, especially in chip, turnings, or powder form. One of the challenges in dealing with a titanium fire of this size is that water is generally not recommended as an extinguishing agent, because of the potential for reactivity. Yet water may be the only option when dealing with massive fires.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the blaze is currently unknown.
Hopefully, the intense fire at the P&T Metals recycling facility is brought under control swiftly and remains extinguished. As noted in a story about lithium battery fires, those involving metals can readily reignite.
Additionally, here’s hoping all first responders and nearby residents remain safe from both short-term and long-term effects from the chemicals in the smoke.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the complex hazards that can arise even in industries championed for their environmental contributions. As investigators determine the cause, focus needs to be on what can be done to prevent such fires and the development of better tools to extinguish blazes involving reactive metals.
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Comments
If you think titanium is bad, try machining some magnesium.
I Used to build metal cutting machines for a living. We would make machines for cutting magnesium that basically cut in an argon filled chamber.
Each machine was usually placed in its own building separated by space large enough for emergency vehicles to get through.
The rule was if a machine caught fire they just let it burn and tried to keep it from spreading to other buildings
What I like about the site is the wide range of experiences commenters bring to the comment section. Politics and opinion aside it is always interesting when someone shares their own experiences on a topic.
That’ll buff out…
Metal fires are no joke. Back in the 80’s it was SOP to push class D fires off the flight deck of aircraft carriers.
I have that “I am Titanium” song in my head now.
I have a Titanium knee
The author of the story has this all wrong. That is Gavin Newscum’s political career going up in smoke.
LOL. I find I cannot argue this valid point.
I had a titanium implant implanted today. Am I going to spontaneously combust now?
Back in 2002 one of my vertebral discs blew out…completely ruptured spewing its material into the foramen of a root nerve and against the spinal cord. 12 hours after an MRI I was in surgery where the doctor opened up my neck from the front and cut his way to the spine. He vacuumed out what was left of the disc, and then put into its space a piece of sterilized donor bone.
He then did what he referred to as, “a little bit of carpentry”, drilling four holes into the vertebrae above and below the gap, and then installing a titanium plate with four titanium self-tapping screws, grunching them into place with what was basically a medical nut-driver. Closed everything up, and I woke up in the recovery room wiggling my fingers and toes for myself to make sure everything still worked…yup, fine.
One of the reasons they use titanium for implanting into bone structures is that the crystalline lattice of the titanium is particularly attractive for bone structure to actually grow into it and fuse with the metal. The last time I saw the surgeon I asked if it was okay to get a neck massage or if it could damage the repaired area. He laughed, and said, “You’d need somebody to at you with an axe to damage it now.” Comforting to know.
Pretty sure that nobody’s going to be able to light your implant on fire. “Course, your heirs and assigns might want to tell the crematorium about it before they go “crackle-crackle” with you.
Very interesting story!
I’m more worried at present about getting a pacemaker if I eventually need one than an implant like this, I was meeting with a cardiologist just after Israel’s pager escapee and I asked what type of battery is in a pacemaker and can it be hacked, They looked at me oddly and didn’t really answer but to me it was a perfectly reasonable question at the time.
Usually with metals, they are only combustible when they are in powdered form…or in other forms with a lot of surface area.
I have had a titanium hip since 2012…and the only drama comes during airport screenings.
Does it set off the metal detector? How about MRIs? It’s supposed to be non magnetic although implants aren’t pure titanium but usually alloys.
Just be careful with that heating pad, okay? Oh, and hope everything went well.
Thanks for the advice. It went very well as far as I can tell. The biggest hurt was to my wallet.
Thanks for the well wishes.
There was a similar fire at a recycling plant in Maywood, CA in June 2016, not too far from El Monte. This one involved magnesium. Lessons learned?
Doesn’t sound like it
Not looking good. Oof.
A lot of industrial “‘accidents” lately…
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