Fears of ammonia contamination prompt evacuations after fire at Oregon sea food plant

There was no further threat of ammonia contamination, officials said Sunday afternoon, after they earlier urged people to evacuate for fear of potential health risks following a seafood processing plant fire in coastal Oregon.

Authorities responded to the blaze at Pacific Seafood, a major seafood processing and distribution plant, in the city of Newport’s Bayfront neighborhood just before 9 a.m., city spokesperson John Fuller said at an afternoon news conference.

As of 4 p.m. local time, officials said there was no threat of ammonia contamination. The state fire marshal said that an ammonia tank had been found and that it didn’t seem to be punctured or leaking.

Newport Fire Chief Rob Murphy said at the news conference that while trace amounts of ammonia were initially detected, there was no ongoing risk of ammonia exposure.

“Between all the firefighters and our regional hazmat team, they did an excellent job of protecting those tanks and keeping them, you know, from something worse happening,” Murphy said. “I can tell you that the tanks are intact; they’re not leaking. The product inside them is stable and will remain so.”

As of Sunday afternoon, he said, the main environmental concern was smoke produced by the fire, which was still burning. There was still a small evacuation zone spanning blocks near the fire, he said.

The blaze had earlier triggered “level 3” evacuations, meaning “extreme danger in the area,” for those within a 1-mile radius of the plant. The city said the evacuation was “precautionary at the risk of a larger leak or spill.”

Ammonia is a toxic clear gas or liquid, and exposure to high levels can hurt the skin, eyes, throat and lungs, while exposure to very high levels can cause lung damage or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

The city earlier recommended that people stay inside and wear masks if they are outdoors. A shelter was set up at Atonement Lutheran Church for the displaced.

The city there were no impacts to marine life as of Sunday evening.

Photos and video from the scene show heavy smoke rising from a blue-painted building and fire trucks dousing it with water.

Fuller said that no injuries had been reported thus far and that there were 30 to 40 people in or near the facility at the time of the incident. He said that during peak tourist season in the summer, there can typically be as many as 200 people in the area.

One firefighter was treated for exhaustion, the city said.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Israeli settler attacks and military lockdown upend Palestinian olive harvest

FOR SUBSCRIBERS UChicago fraternities tried self-policing. A decade later, they’re asking what went wrong.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS They didn’t know their uncle was dead. Then they learned a cop was accused of stealing his house and identity.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS China’s first AI film hits theaters, but people aren’t rushing to see it

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Susan Collins won women in 2020. How they break now could decide Maine’s Senate race.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS ‘On the brink of a crisis’: Farmers’ troubles imperil Iowa GOP after years of dominance

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Records reveal the troubled past of Amy Acton’s estranged mother and stepfather

FOR SUBSCRIBERS James Talarico rallies young voters in Austin who are critical to his Senate hopes

FOR SUBSCRIBERS ‘Practice-changing’ new lung cancer immunotherapy improves survival

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Ramaswamy campaign switches to shorter version of ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother

FOR SUBSCRIBERS She had five siblings, but only she survived childhood with her father

FOR SUBSCRIBERS AI is helping cyber defenders — and hackers — find vulnerabilities at a dizzying pace

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Democrats see an opening in secretary of state races in red terrain

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Records offer a picture of the Oregon school shooter’s tumultuous home life

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Everything was going great — and then he got caught in Lori Vallow Daybell’s crosshairs

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Israeli settler attacks and military lockdown upend Palestinian olive harvest

FOR SUBSCRIBERS UChicago fraternities tried self-policing. A decade later, they’re asking what went wrong.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS They didn’t know their uncle was dead. Then they learned a cop was accused of stealing his house and identity.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS China’s first AI film hits theaters, but people aren’t rushing to see it

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Susan Collins won women in 2020. How they break now could decide Maine’s Senate race.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS ‘On the brink of a crisis’: Farmers’ troubles imperil Iowa GOP after years of dominance

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Records reveal the troubled past of Amy Acton’s estranged mother and stepfather

FOR SUBSCRIBERS James Talarico rallies young voters in Austin who are critical to his Senate hopes

FOR SUBSCRIBERS ‘Practice-changing’ new lung cancer immunotherapy improves survival

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Ramaswamy campaign switches to shorter version of ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother

FOR SUBSCRIBERS She had five siblings, but only she survived childhood with her father

FOR SUBSCRIBERS AI is helping cyber defenders — and hackers — find vulnerabilities at a dizzying pace

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Democrats see an opening in secretary of state races in red terrain

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Records offer a picture of the Oregon school shooter’s tumultuous home life

FOR SUBSCRIBERS Everything was going great — and then he got caught in Lori Vallow Daybell’s crosshairs

Newport Mayor Jan Kaplan described Pacific Seafood as a critical part of the city’s economy and a “significant employer.”

Fuller, the city spokesperson, said that the fire erupted in a freezer facility where seafood is stored and that it did not spread into the main plant.

Ashton Meier, vice president of Pacific Seafood’s resource sales and processing, said in a statement that the company was “devastated” by the fire and expects “it will be a major loss.”

“As a family-owned business, we deeply value our people and our community,” Meier said. “We are eternally grateful for the help of the emergency responders today and thank them for all of their efforts. We are incredibly thankful and glad to report that all of our team members on site are safe and accounted for and that at this time we are not aware of any injuries to others in the area.”