of Recycling Center fire

By BETH LAKEY

Staff Writer

Feb. 24, 2000 9 PM

Investigators have begun sifting through what is left of Troy Recycling Center.

The building located off Hudson Street was destroyed by fire Wednesday afternoon, minutes after the employees left at 2:30 p.m.

It was at 2:52 p.m. that the fire department received the alarm, but the fire was fully involved by the time trucks arrived on the scene.

By that time, it was too late to save the city-owned structure filled with flammable materials, including paper, cardboard and some propane tanks.

Problems with the nearest fire hydrant left firefighters helpless for a while, but Recycling Coordinator Bill Rice doesn’t think anything would have helped.

He said "it was gone" when he arrived shortly after the fire was reported.

Troy Fire Chief Ray Rhodes said the cause of the fire is unknown and is under investigation.

He said the state fire marshal and investigators entered the building late Thursday morning to begin the search for a cause.

In the meantime, city leaders will determine how to continue the recycling program, which saves the city and residents more than $100,000 each year. More than 2,500 households put glass, paper and plastic products in blue bags for curbside pickup each week.