A fire that broke out on Sunday morning at a Pacific Seafood processing plant on Newport's Bayfront in coastal Oregon forced the city to order evacuations within a one-mile radius, after ammonia was detected in the smoke, city officials said. Newport firefighters were dispatched at 8:51 a.m. on October 25, and the fire caused a partial roof collapse at the plant, according to local reporting of the city's account.
Source: Associated Press via KCAU 9
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office issued a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation order for everyone within a mile of the plant at 203 SW Bay Boulevard, because of concern that ammonia used in the plant's refrigeration could escape. A shelter was first set up at Sam Case Elementary School, where about a dozen evacuees had arrived by 11:45 a.m., many with pets, and the city later moved the shelter to Atonement Lutheran Church on North Coast Highway, with pets still allowed. Residents who could not leave were told to stay indoors and to wear a mask if they had to go outside.
Source: Portland Focal / Focal News
About 40 firefighters were at the scene by midmorning, with departments from across Lincoln County assisting, and the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office sent a regional hazardous materials team and a coordinator to Newport. Highway 20 was closed from West Harney Street to Highway 101 while crews worked, according to the sheriff's office as reported by local stations.
By Sunday afternoon the picture had eased. At a news conference, Fire Chief Rob Murphy said trace amounts of ammonia had been detected at first, but there was no ongoing risk of ammonia exposure: the plant's ammonia tank had been found intact, not punctured or leaking, and the product inside was stable. The evacuation area was cut back to several blocks around the fire site, although the fire itself was still burning and smoke remained the main concern.
Source: Willamette News (citing Lincoln Chronicle, KATU and OregonLive)
No injuries had been reported, city officials said. City public information officer John Fuller told the Associated Press it was not clear what caused the fire, and the cause remains under investigation. Newport, about 132 miles (212 km) southwest of Portland, has a population of about 10,000, and its Bayfront — a working waterfront of restaurants, shops and docks — makes up a large part of the small town, which is why officials said the one-mile radius covered a “pretty good chunk” of it.
Source: QNC News (citing KCBY and Lincoln County Sheriff's Office)
Evacuation shelter: first Sam Case Elementary School, later moved to Atonement Lutheran Church, 23315 North Coast Highway (address as listed in local reports; pets allowed). Highway 20 closed between West Harney Street and Highway 101. Anyone unable to evacuate was advised to shelter indoors and wear a mask outside.