Flaming plastic briefly shuts down part of Nordenia plant

Plastic ignited and caused a small fire at the Nordenia plant at Highway 177 and Route J around 10:30 p.m. Friday.

Jim Hanks, chief of the East Cape County Fire Department and an employee at Nordenia, said that the fire erupted when some plastic got caught in the rollers of one of the machines. Employees put it out with a fire extinguisher before the fire department arrived, he said.

The fire department ventilated the building where the fire broke out. Hanks said the entire plant shut down for about 30 minutes, and the section of the business where the fire broke out was idle for about 90 minutes before employees returned to work.

Nordenia manufactures plastic bags and coverings. Hanks said damage was minimal and no one was injured.