The cause of a chemical fire that broke out at a Coolidge manufacturing plant and resulted in the evacuation of residents living near the facility is currently under investigation, officials from the Coolidge Fire Department said.
The fire was first reported at around 2 p.m. Friday at Bright International, which manufactures cosmetic products. About an hour after the fire began, the Coolidge Police Department released an announcement on behalf of CFD recommending that residents living in the nearby Landmark Ranch subdivision evacuate the area.
Coolidge firefighters, with the assistance of hazmat units from Casa Grande and Florence, continued to battle the flames and smoke through Friday evening and most of the following day, with firefighters officially clearing the scene at 5:43 p.m. on Saturday — more than 24 hours after the fire started.