An air quality alert was issued for residents of South Los Angeles who live near Slauson and Central avenues as the result of a recycling plant fire there. The blaze broke out about 11 a.m. and left at least one person injured, county fire officials said. The fire involved metal, apparently including magnesium, and called for foam-enabled trucks to fight the blaze because water isn't effective in such cases.

Los Angeles County officials on Friday afternoon warned residents in the area of the blaze to avoid outdoor activity.

“Everyone should avoid any outdoor or indoor exertion or exercise in smoke-impacted areas,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, the county's director of public health. “In areas where smoke may not be visible, but may still be impacted by this fire, we are advising sensitive individuals, such as those with heart disease, asthma, or other respiratory disease, to stay indoors as much as possible.”

The tenacity of the fire prompted county firefighters to ask the Los Angeles Fire Department for “mutual aid.”

-With reporting from City News Service. Got news? Email us.

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