Possible ammonia contamination prompts evacuations after Oregon seafood plant fire, officials say

By Eduardo Cuevas, Jillian Sykes, CNN

(CNN) — Potential ammonia contamination after a seafood plant fire prompted recommended evacuations in a coastal Oregon city, local officials said Sunday morning.

The incident occurred at Pacific Seafood in Newport, Oregon, officials said in a city update as of 10:34 a.m. PT.

“The evacuation is due to a potential ammonia contamination in the area from the plant,” the update said. “We recommend staying inside if you are in Newport today. If you must go outside, you should wear a mask. Updates will continue to be made on this post.”

Footage of the scene posted by the city on social media showed firefighters spraying the building down.

John Fuller, a city spokesperson, estimated hundreds of people have been evacuated within the expanded one-mile evacuation radius surrounding the processing plant in the city of just over 10,000 people. Officials said the evacuations were strongly recommended but not mandatory.

An initial half-mile evacuation zone was in the city’s Bayfront area, which is mostly commercial and has some popular tourism areas with fewer homes, Fuller told CNN. It is currently the off season for tourists, he said, though the city still sees some visitors on weekends.

The expanded mile radius now encompasses nearby residential areas, Fuller said.

City officials established a shelter for evacuees at Sam Case Elementary School, the update said.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said in a morning update Level 3 evacuations are underway in a one-mile radius of the plant. Level 3 is the highest level, meaning residents in the affected area should leave immediately. People were told to stay clear of the scene because of a possible fire. US 20 from Harney Street West to US 101 is closed, the sheriff’s office said.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal is responding to the incident with a hazmat team because of chemicals at the facility, the state agency announced in a social media post.

A spokesperson for Pacific Seafood said in a statement the company was not aware of injuries and all employees have been accounted for.

“However, the situation is still ongoing and we are focused on supporting emergency responders to help ensure everyone is safe,” the statement said.

Fire crews were still working on putting out the fire, Fuller said. The cause of the fire and possible ammonia contamination are still under investigation. There are no reported injuries at this time, Fuller confirmed.

Oregon resident Coby Bertalotto shared videos with CNN showing a thick cloud of billowing smoke over Newport.

“Driving through that thick smoke … It was thick enough that I couldn’t see the side of the road,” Bertalotto said. “I was very cautious.”

He described the smell outside as “rubbery,” affecting an area with several tourist attractions such as candy stores, bars and Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

“There are probably about three or four blocks that are just getting smoked out,” Bertalotto said.

Exposure to high levels of ammonia in air may cause irritation to the skin, eyes, throat, and lungs and cause coughing and burns, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Some people with asthma may be more sensitive, the agency said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s Nic F. Anderson and Maria Aguilar Prieto contributed to this report.

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