Massive Fire, Explosion at Sydney Recycling Facility

Firefighters in western Sydney battled a massive blaze and explosion at a waste recycling facility late Saturday night, containing the inferno after it sent flames soaring 150 meters into the sky and hurled debris across the area. The incident at the Kurrajong Road site in St Marys drew more than 200 responders and marked one of the largest fires in the region in recent years.

Emergency crews from Fire and Rescue NSW arrived around 11 p.m. following initial reports of a fire at the facility. Shortly after, a powerful explosion rocked the site, propelling a chemical tank into the air and raining concrete blocks and other debris onto firefighters below. The blast damaged walls of neighboring buildings and was felt several kilometers away in areas like Penrith. Two firefighters sustained minor hand injuries while working to shield nearby properties from the spreading flames.

Over 50 fire trucks and hundreds of personnel deployed to the scene, using aerial platforms, monitoring drones, and bulk water carriers to attack the fire from multiple angles. Hazardous materials officers and environmental protection teams joined the effort to manage the risks from a variety of chemicals...