A fire that broke out on the morning of October 25 at Pacific Seafood’s fish-processing plant in Newport, Oregon, prompted authorities to evacuate some residents, tourists, and workers along the Yaquina Bay waterfront. The main concern was a possible release of anhydrous ammonia, which the plant uses in its refrigeration systems. By the morning of October 26, the fire had been extinguished, and authorities said there was no ammonia leak or risk of contamination to nearby areas. No injuries were reported.
The first report of a fire at the plant came at about 8:51 a.m. on Sunday. Thick smoke quickly rose over Newport’s commercial and tourist waterfront, visible well beyond the harbor. In a city of about 10,000 people, this was not a fire on the outskirts but almost at the heart of its economy: docks, restaurants, shops, an RV park, and a marina are nearby, while facilities belonging to the Port of Newport and the Hatfield Marine Science Center sit across the bay.
Authorities initially ordered an evacuation within a one-mile radius—about 1.6 kilometers—of the plant. The evacuation included homes and businesses, part of the port, the marina, and the RV park. People outside the evacuation zone were advised to avoid going outdoors unless necessary and to wear masks because of the smoke. A temporary reception center opened at Sam Case Elementary School, then moved to Atonement Lutheran Church near Highway 101.
Ammonia prompted such extensive precautions. The chemical is used to keep industrial freezers at low temperatures. Under normal operating conditions, it is barely noticeable, but a major release can quickly turn an industrial accident into a threat to an entire neighborhood: high concentrations irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, while severe lung damage can be fatal. A hazardous materials team from the Linn-Benton area was sent to the scene to monitor the air and model the potential spread of contamination.
By noon, about 40 firefighters from various Lincoln County agencies were working at the scene. The state mobilized additional resources: an aerial ladder truck and four fire engines from Marion County, as well as a strike team from Lane County. Firefighters spent hours pouring water onto the burning building while monitoring its structural stability. Part of the roof collapsed, and the main remaining concern was that further structural damage could affect the tanks.
But the dangerous scenario did not materialize. Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said the ammonia tank had been located and, according to an initial assessment, had not been punctured or leaking. Evacuation zones were later reduced, and on Monday city officials announced there was no immediate threat of chemical contamination to the public. All workers who had been at the plant were accounted for; Pacific Seafood said it was not aware of any injuries.
Pacific Seafood, a large company that sources, processes, and distributes seafood across the country, expects the damage to be significant, according to its preliminary assessment. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and the investigation is ongoing. Newport returned to normal faster than the morning smoke over the bay might have suggested, but the plant on the banks of the Yaquina will long remind the city how thin the line can be between the port’s routine industrial operations and an emergency.
Based on: A fire at a seafood plant in Oregon forces evacuations