WESH 2 Investigates: Property owner to be fined after wood, mulch fire broke out in Orange County
The owner of a property where a large wood and mulch fire erupted earlier this week will be cited and fined.
That fire started four days ago on Silver Meteor Drive near the Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando.
Tons of wood and mulch will be moved around and ultimately removed at a recycling center near Silver Star Road as workers and firefighters try to get to and put out the remaining hot spots.
This is how it looked after igniting Sunday afternoon.
Orange County Fire and Rescue has been there since, pouring millions of gallons of water on the four-and-a-half-acre site to get it under control.
WESH 2 Investigates has learned from the Orange County Fire Marshal that the property owner, Mills & Nebraska, will be cited and fined $300 for failure to maintain a rapid-fire extinguishment system and failure to maintain a fire prevention program.
It's the second fire in recent weeks at the facility, which is operated by A Sun State Tree Service.
Another fine and three violations were cited in the previous fire.
Sun State leases the land from Mills & Nebraska and is ultimately responsible for the fire and the drain on firefighting resources.
Crews have been working around the clock since Sunday.
Business owner Randall Nellis told WESH 2 Investigates by phone, "I don't know how the fire started, and the fact that it started in the wood and not the mulch was unusual."
"After a small fire a month ago, we decided to shut down the operation. And we'll just clear out the site and haul the wood and debris to other sites, and that part of our business will be over," Nellis said.
The Orange County Fire Marshal William Farhat told WESH 2 Investigates the exact cause remains undetermined.
He also says the new violations are "a big deal" when it comes to the safety of people working and living nearby.
WESH 2 Investigates reached out to the owner of the property for comment on the violations coming from the Orange County fire marshal.
We'll update our report when we hear back.
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