A recycling yard in western Changhua caught fire overnight despite heavy rain, sending thick black smoke into the sky, but no one was hurt.

• The fire broke out just after 1 a.m. near the Highway 61 West Coast Bridge in Dacheng Township.
• Flames tore through piles of scrap waste and lit up the night sky, alarming passing drivers.
• Three fire units sent six trucks and eleven firefighters, taking an hour to put it out.
• The burn area covered about 50 square meters, and the cause is still being investigated.
• Locals noted the grim run of luck lately — heavy rain flooding one day, fires the next.

Outlook: Investigators will work out what sparked the blaze, with stacked waste at recycling sites remaining an ongoing fire risk.