Fire at Boise document shredding business ruled accidental

A fire broke out Friday afternoon at Western Records Destruction, located across the street from Costco Wholesale on South Cole Road.

The fire, reported at 12:36 p.m., burned three bales of compressed paper, Boise Fire Department spokeswoman Tammy Barry said. It took about an hour to put the fire out.

The building at 1990 S. Cole Road was evacuated and one person was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, Barry said.

An investigator determined the fire was accidental, sparked by a rechargeable battery, she said.

The company, which was established in 1986, shreds sensitive business records for companies. It shreds more than 1.2 million pounds of paper per month, according to the company’s website. The shredded paper is pressed into bales and recycled.

This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 1:04 PM with the headline "Fire at Boise document shredding business ruled accidental."