Puyallup area residents asked again to shelter in place because of warehouse fire
The remnants of a cold-storage warehouse fire have produced a fluid situation, with fire officials again asking that Puyallup area residents shelter in place, Central Pierce Fire & Rescue announced early Sunday afternoon.
“Because of heavy smoke conditions, we are now requesting a shelter in place order for citizens in a one-mile radius of the cold storage fire in downtown Puyallup,” fire officials said. “Please contact family or neighbors who may not have social media or cell phones.”
Fire officials subsequently said the request to shelter in place was an advisory, not an order.
The Sunday afternoon announcement reverses an earlier Sunday morning decision to lift the shelter in place order.
Some roads in the area have reopened, while others remain closed.
East Pioneer and East Main are open again, but 15th Street Southeast, between Main and Pioneer, remains closed for fire operations, Puyallup police said.
The Saturday morning blaze destroyed a 100,000-square-foot cold-storage warehouse and forced nearby neighborhoods to evacuate because of a chemical — anhydrous ammonia — used at the warehouse that can produce toxic fumes.
Because of the presence of the chemical, fire officials decided to let the fire burn for a time.
“It is safer to let the materials burn hot and disperse at high altitude than to blanket the community in cold smoke,” the News Tribune reported.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
According to the News Tribune:
General Counsel Cory Borgeson, speaking for Washington Cold Storage, said no employees were on site during the incident. The company has 12 employees who worked at the site, including mechanics, warehousemen, and administrative staff, he said. An administrative building near the warehouse was not affected by the fire, he added.
The privately owned company has been in business for 30 years. It operates another, smaller warehouse in Kent.
“The warehouse facility provided storage for frozen and refrigerated goods for many customers,” Borgeson’s statement said. “The company is working with our customers to find new warehouse space.”
Company owners will meet with employees Monday to discuss next steps.
“We will meet with employees Monday and figure out a transition for them,” Borgeson said in a brief interview Saturday. “We’re really grateful for the firefighters and the response from the fire marshal and the community. It’s been very gratifying.”
This story was originally published August 22, 2021 at 10:46 AM.
