Officials said approximately 70 firefighters responded to the incident. Photo courtesy of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - A large fire at a commercial auto salvage yard in Rancho Cordova damaged or destroyed hundreds of vehicles Friday July 3 around 5:45 p.m., prompting a massive response from firefighters across Sacramento County.

The fire was reported along the 3400 block of Recycle Road, near Sunrise Boulevard and the Folsom South Canal. When crews arrived, they found a well-established fire burning in the center of the salvage yard, where vehicles were stacked several cars high.

According to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, the flames quickly spread through dozens of vehicles and extended into nearby grassland. Firefighters deployed multiple hose lines and evacuated employees from the property while working to contain the blaze.

Officials said approximately 70 firefighters responded to the incident. Their efforts prevented the fire from spreading further through the salvage yard and to surrounding properties.

Initial estimates indicated between 50 and 100 vehicles were actively burning during the height of the fire, along with about two acres of vegetation. However, fire officials later estimated that more than 200 vehicles were ultimately damaged or destroyed by the blaze.

Residents reported hearing explosions during the incident, but fire officials said the sounds were caused by tires bursting in the intense heat.

Fire crews remained at the scene for several hours and continued working into the night to extinguish hidden hot spots and ensure the fire was fully contained.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.