NEWPORT, Ore — Multiple agencies are on the scene of a large structure fire at the Pacific Seafood facility on historic Newport Bayfront. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office issued level 2 and 3 evacuations within one mile of the facility, located at 203 SW Bay Boulevard. Crews have since raised evacuation levels in all areas except Bay Blvd. between Hatfield Drive and Port Dock One. Businesses in that area are still evacuated. An evacuation shelter was first set up at Sam Case Elementary School and moved to Atonement Lutheran Church at 2315 N Coast Hwy as wind patterns changed. The evacuation point at Atonement Lutheran Church is now closed, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. “We have greatly reduced those evacuation zones here for our community thanks to our fire department and the 18 fire departments and emergency management teams that have come here to help,” said John Fuller, Public Information Officer for the city of Newport. According to the city of Newport, the evacuation was due to possible ammonia contamination. Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said crews first received the call about the fire at 8:30 a.m., prompting her agency to mobilize a state hazardous materials team over concerns about a tank of anhydrous ammonia at the site, a potentially dangerous chemical used for refrigeration. The fire sent plumes of thick white smoke over the area, filling the air with what many described as a strong smell of burning plastic. “It was very gray and moody, but then you could see billowing white clouds of definitely fire smoke coming from the bay front as you crossed the bridge,” said Cathie Rigby, a Newport resident who helped with the emergency response. City officials said there were small traces of ammonia in the early Sunday morning smoke, but at non-harmful levels. The fire broke out in a building used to freeze and keep seafood cold, according to city officials. Firefighters managed to contain the fire, ensuring it did not spread to other businesses. Newport city officials said fire crews have mitigated the fire risk for the plant’s two ammonia tanks. The building partially collapsed, according to Newport Fire Chief Rob Murphy. The main risk to the tanks, Ruiz-Temple said, has been the possibility of a structural collapse caused by ongoing efforts to put out the fire. “The concern would be that if that occurs on the tank itself or near the tank and it is punctured, that could cause the release, and that is our number one concern,” he said. At last check, officials did not believe any tanks had ruptured. Additional fire service resources are heading to Newport to support local crews overnight and into Monday. The State Fire Marshal’s office confirmed that a strike team from Lane County would arrive in the morning and a task force from Marion County would bring in additional engines and a ladder truck to ease the burden on exhausted firefighters. Photo of Oregon State Fire Marshal crews at the scene. “We have additional fire resources arriving overnight and we will maintain our state hazardous materials teams to do plume modeling as needed and also monitor the air,” Ruiz-Temple said. Approximately 30 to 40 people were inside the building at the time of the fire and all have been accounted for by Pacific Seafood, according to Chief Murphy. According to the city of Newport, no injuries have been reported at this time, but one firefighter was sent to the hospital for exhaustion, Ruiz-Temple said. There is no official cause for what started the fire. “The investigation portion of the fire will be conducted after we have been able to extinguish the fire and check the stability of the building to make sure it is safe enough for fire investigators to enter the building,” Chief Murphy said. Oregon’s state fire marshal said crews will continue to monitor air quality and lingering health risks, and the city recommended people wear masks if they need to go outdoors. The city of Newport said there has been no notable impact on marine life. Volunteers and local organizations provided food, hot meals and water. and translation in both English and Spanish when evacuation orders were issued. Rigby noted that “some of our unhoused population also joined us because, you know, they’re outside and they’re breathing this dangerous air as well.” City Manager Nina Avett and Mayor Jan Kaplan, along with the Oregon State Fire Marshal, credited the extensive regional response from neighboring fire departments, the Coast Guard and local agencies for helping bring the situation under control. The facility, an important part of Newport’s port economy, remains closed and many in the city are worried about what comes next. “I heard who it was and I was a little heartbroken because they are very critical,” Rigby said. “We have a bayfront up and running. They are right in the center of everything downtown and the activity that goes on there.” “They are a major employer, especially for my community, the Latino community,” Rigby continued. “They’re a major employer, so I know a lot of families and community members here depend on that work, so they’re vital to our community, and a success like this is tough, not just for the business, but the entire community feels it.” Shirley Kind of Food Share of Lincoln County was quick to say her organization and others prepared emergency food boxes and offered help, though she noted the long-term impact is still unclear. “The fact that this plant or that operation has been closed will simply be unconscionable,” King said. In a statement to KATU, Ashton Meier, vice president of sales and resource processing, said: “Pacific Seafood is devastated by today’s fire in Newport. While we are still working with emergency response officials to determine the full extent of the damage, we expect it to be a significant loss. As a family-owned business, we deeply value our people and our community. We are eternally grateful for the help of today’s first responders and thank them for all their efforts. We are incredibly grateful and happy to report that everyone Our team members on site are safe and accounted for and at this time we are not aware of any injuries in the area. Our focus going forward will be to support our team members, our neighbors and the people of Newport. In the coming days, we will continue to work with public safety officials to ensure they have the access and information necessary to determine the cause of the fire, the extent of the damage and any current hazards or effects. approached us today.” Fire at Pacific Seafood prompts Level 3 evacuations. Governor Kotek issued a statement on The Oregon State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire with assistance from the Newport Fire Department, according to Fuller. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital is operating normally. The Sheriff’s Office said updates will be posted on LINCALERTS. The notice was posted at 10:13 a.m. on Sunday, October 25.
