Fire at Oregon Coast Seafood Plant in Newport: Ammonia Threat Contained, Evacuation Advisory Remains in Place
A fire broke out before 9 a.m. on October 25 at the Pacific Seafood processing plant in Newport, a small city of just over 10,000 people on the Oregon coast, sending thick smoke over the town and prompting an evacuation advisory for surrounding areas. The City of Newport said trace amounts of ammonia were detected in the smoke early on, and advised residents to stay indoors where possible and wear a mask if they had to go out.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal's office then sent a hazmat team to the scene, using specialized equipment to monitor the air and model the possible impact area. Inspection found that the plant's ammonia tanks had neither ruptured nor leaked, and the ammonia threat was brought under control. State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple confirmed the progress in a statement. The evacuation advisory, while not mandatory, still affected several hundred nearby residents.
Pacific Seafood Vice President Ashton Meyer said the company was deeply saddened by the fire, that there were no reports of injuries and all employees were accounted for, but that losses were expected to be very significant, with the full extent still to be assessed together with emergency officials. Newport, about 90 miles southwest of Portland, is an important Oregon fishing town, and the fire's impact on local seafood processing and jobs remains to be seen.
Source: GSM·USA
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：俄勒冈州纽波特的雅奎纳湾大桥（资料图）。摄影：Cacophony，CC BY 2.5，取自 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: The Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport, Oregon (file photo). Credit: Cacophony, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
