Fire at California warehouse complex prompts evacuations as authorities fight blaze | California
As a fire at a 1-square-meter warehouse complex in California continued to burn out of control early Friday, officials warned that the blaze could take days to extinguish and could involve toxic hazards.
The raging inferno was pumping thick black smoke into billowing clouds, as fire and a red, hot glow could be seen underneath in aerial footage. The fire destroyed a medical equipment warehouse in Tracy, northern California, prompting the evacuation of other nearby facilities with no injuries reported.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of a fire Thursday afternoon at the large distribution center for Medline, a major medical-surgical products supplier, in Tracy, about 35 miles east of San Francisco. The fire spread to the FedEx facility across the street, where crews were able to contain it, according to Fire Chief Randall Bradley of the South San Joaquin County Fire Department.
Bradley said faulty water pressure and low water pressure in the facility’s hydrants hindered firefighting. It turned out that the problems were with the tank’s water system, not the city. Low humidity, high temperatures and high winds also caused difficulties, according to Bradley.
Medline employee Antonio Talavera said: ABC7 The fire quickly engulfed the area. “Within 30 minutes, half the building was already covered.”
Authorities evacuated much of the area because winds increased the risk of embers spreading, said Sergeant Michael Richards of the city’s police department. Three secondary fires broke out from the embers, according to ABC7. No homes had been evacuated as of early Friday. The massive warehouse is located in a large industrial park that also houses fulfillment and distribution centers for Amazon, Home Depot, and FedEx. Medline said all of its employees and other personnel at the site were accounted for, the Associated Press reported.
“We are working closely with local authorities and first responders as we assess the impact of the fire and will share more details as they become available,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement.
Medline is a supplier of latex gloves, masks, surgical instruments and other medical supplies that are important during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The effects of the fire on the company’s supply chain remain unclear.
“Immediately following this incident, Medline activated a command center and a network contingency plan and began consolidating secondary and tertiary distribution centers,” a spokesperson for the company said in an emailed statement. “Product distribution previously supported by the Tracy facility has been reassigned and is in the process of being distributed to other facilities in our regional network to help maintain service and support customer needs.”
The spokesman did not answer the question about the source of the fire.
Tracy Mayor Dan Arriola said officials are evaluating air quality and potential impacts on residents.
Authorities encouraged “Vulnerable” groups, including children, older adults and those with respiratory conditions, need to limit their exposure to smoke by staying indoors.
The investigation into the cause of the fire continues.
Associated Press contributed reporting
