Fire Damages Plating Firm in Chatsworth

A fire damaged a Chatsworth plating company Sunday, but did not unleash the fumes of hazardous materials, authorities said.

The fire at Plateronics Processing started about 12:30 p.m. and about 60 firefighters had it extinguished shortly after 1 p.m., said Bob Collis, spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Authorities considered evacuating nearby businesses, including a restaurant and bowling alley, because of the danger of fumes from chemicals used in the plating process, Collis said. But investigators quickly determined that the chemicals did not burn or mix with the water used to douse the fire, he said.

No one was injured in the blaze, which caused $40,000 in damage to the structure on Independence Avenue and destroyed $20,000 worth of contents, Collis said. The cause is still under investigation, he said.