US: Blaze destroys medical supply warehouse in California logistics hub

A fire destroyed a large Medline medical equipment warehouse east of San Francisco, sending thick black smoke into the air and forcing evacuations at nearby logistics facilities, authorities said.

The blaze broke out at the 1 million-square-foot distribution centre in Tracy, about 55 miles (88 km) east of San Francisco, and spread across the street to a FedEx facility, where firefighters contained it, Caliber.Az reports via US media.

The industrial park also houses fulfilment and distribution centres for Amazon and Home Depot, prompting wider evacuations as winds raised the risk of embers spreading, according to local authorities.

Fire Chief Randall Bradley of the South San Joaquin County Fire Authority said firefighting efforts were hampered by infrastructure issues at the site.

"Things worked against us," he said, citing water supply issues, low humidity, high winds and high temperatures. "It was a little bit of a perfect storm for this fire evolving quickly.”

Officials said Medline employees were accounted for and no residential evacuations were ordered, as the fire remained within the industrial zone.

Tracy Mayor Dan Arriola said the fire struck the city’s largest industrial area.

“I understand that the fire has fully engulfed Medline and they are working to make sure that it’s contained to that particular facility,” he said.

Medline said it was working with authorities to assess the damage.

“We are coordinating closely with local authorities and first responders as we assess the fire’s impact and will share more details as they become available,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement.

Authorities said they were investigating the cause of the fire and assessing potential air quality impacts to surrounding areas.

By Aghakazim Guliyev