MONTREAL, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- A fire of unknown origin consumed a paper recycling plant in Montreal Saturday, authorities said.
Benoit Fleury of the Montreal Fire Department said some of the building's walls had collapsed, forcing firefighters to combat the blaze from outside, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
"It is all compact paper, so we can't get inside," Fleury said. "As soon as the plows are able to move the paper from inside the building, then it is going to be easier for us to extinguish the fire.
"With the paper, and wood -- the pallets -- it spread really quickly."
Nearby neighbor Mario Cournoyer estimated the flames were shooting seven stories into the air. He said he could feel the heat.
No one was in the building when the fire broke out about 2 a.m., Fleury said. Scores of firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.
