Evacuations ordered after fire at Oregon seafood plant

Officials in Newport, Oregon, ordered evacuations within a 1-mile radius of a Pacific Seafood processing plant after a fire broke out Sunday morning and raised concerns that smoke could contain ammonia.

The city established a shelter at Atonement Lutheran Church after moving it from Sam Case Elementary School farther away from the plant as a precaution. Residents and visitors were urged to remain indoors and wear masks if they went outside. CNN later reported that officials said the ammonia threat had been contained.

No injuries were reported, and fire crews remained at the scene. John Fuller, Newport’s public information officer, told The Associated Press that the cause of the fire was not yet clear. Officials were investigating possible airborne ammonia contamination because chemicals were present at the seafood-processing facility.

The evacuation zone included homes and businesses across a substantial part of the city, which has about 10,000 residents. The plant is located along Yaquina Bay near Newport’s bayfront. Local resident Shelly Heim said she saw flames coming from the roof and smoke billowing from the facility but did not notice an unusual smell.