Puente Alto, Chile – Video filmed by X user Karina Rojas captured alarming footage of a massive industrial fire tearing through the CMPC paper mill on the afternoon of March 3, 2026, as the blaze intensified and forced evacuations in nearby areas.

The clip opens with a wide view of the sprawling factory complex beneath overcast skies. Thick plumes of dark gray and black smoke billow from multiple points across the site, rising hundreds of feet into the air and drifting over the surrounding urban landscape.

Bright orange flames erupt from stacks of paper and cardboard bales as the fire rapidly spreads through the acopio storage area. Intense heat distorts the air while embers swirl upward above the facility.

Filmed from a safe distance, likely from a nearby building or hillside, the unsteady camera pans left and right, revealing the scale of the inferno. Large sections of the plant are engulfed as emergency lights flash in the distance and firefighters battle the blaze. The expanding smoke column blots out the horizon.

The footage holds on the advancing flames, with crackling sounds and distant sirens underscoring the urgency as the emergency unfolded in real time.

The fire began around 4 p.m. on March 3 at the intersection of Avenida Eyzaguirre and Nonato Coo, affecting 8 hectares of the paper and cardboard recycling facility. No injuries or toxic chemicals were reported, but nearby homes and schools were evacuated. More than 100 firefighters and 31 units were mobilized. The blaze was contained after more than 12 hours, with extinguishment efforts continuing into March 4.

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