Fire damages Cedar Rapids recycling center

CEDAR RAPIDS - A commercial recycling center suffered significant smoke and water damage, but minor structural damage in a fire Wednesday night.

According to the Cedar Rapids Fire Department, crews were called to a commercial recycling center owned by Republic Services Recycling at 4250 Sixth St. SW at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday for a report of an automated alarm. Responding firefighters discovered there was a fire in the building and encountered heavy smoke.

The fire department said the size of the building required a 'prolonged search” to find the origin of the fire. Additionally, cold temperatures and the amount of work required at the scene led firefighters to call for additional units.

The fire was eventually found in recycling paper bundles. Firefighters said the building's sprinkler system 'contributed significantly” to controlling the spread of the fire.

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