Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Union Pacific railroad fined $7 million in 2 years ... SOPride president reacts to Orlando shooting: 'It's a dark day' ... What We Know: Orlando shooting deadliest on US soil ... Union Pacific railroad fined $7 million in 2 years ... SOPride president reacts to Orlando shooting: 'It's a dark day' ... What We Know: Orlando shooting deadliest on US soil ... Hazardous materials suspend investigation of Medford warehouse fire Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jun. 11, 2016 at 3:14 PM Updated Jun 11, 2016 at 3:20 PM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jun. 11, 2016 at 3:14 PM Updated Jun 11, 2016 at 3:20 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Blaze severely damages northwest Medford warehouse • Mason Way Warehouse Fire » Social News Investigation into the cause of a three-alarm fire that roared through a Medford warehouse Friday evening has been suspended because of hazardous materials that burned inside. Jackson County Fire District 3 spokeswoman Ashley Lara said today that investigators will wait until Oregon Vineyard Supply Inc., which housed a distribution center at the warehouse, cleans up the materials before continuing their probe into where and how the fire started. Lara did not know what chemicals were inside the building when it burned, but the smoke smelled like fertilizer Friday. CEO Matt Novak said today that OVS sells specialized agricultural supplies, including pruning equipment and "plant nutrition," at the warehouse at 640 Mason Way. Lara said the fire department was responsible for mitigating hazardous materials during the fire, and local hazmat teams responded Friday. After the fire was extinguished, cleanup responsibility was handed back to OVS, she said. Roseburg-based First Strike Environmental Co. is handling chemical cleanup for OVS, she said. No one from OVS was on site when the fire broke out after business hours about 6 p.m. Friday, Novak said. He said he had no idea what might've started the fire but would continue to work with investigators. "We don't know yet," he said. "We're curious, too." First Strike Environmental will provide inventory of the hazardous materials, spills and cleanup efforts directly to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Lara said, and fire district investigators will continue the investigation after they're authorized to re-enter by DEQ. Firefighters from District 3 and Medford Fire-Rescue responded to the scene wearing standard protective gear that included a respirator, Lara said. Firefighters did not wear hazmat suits to the fire, but there are no reports of injuries or anyone sickened, she said. Lara said firefighters were aware of the hazardous products inside the building when they responded to the fire, and that industrial buildings containing hazardous materials are regularly inspected. Although the fire was knocked down as of 8:15 p.m. Friday, firefighters remained on scene throughout the night and morning to address flare-ups and hot spots in the attic. The warehouse housed multiple businesses with separate addresses, including GHB Fabrication and Oregon Roots Electric. A two-story industrial office connected to the structure at 650 Mason Way, shown to belong to H&S Package Delivery, Inc., was also ablaze and firefighters had to break open its doors and windows to get to the flames. Deputy Fire Marshal Brian Murdoch is leading the investigation with two others. Because of the multiple connected businesses at the structure, Lara was unable to give the building's square footage. She anticipated that information and the fire's damage estimates would be available early next week after the investigation resumes. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jun. 11, 2016 at 3:14 PM Updated Jun 11, 2016 at 3:20 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501