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Major Fire Rips Through Large Produce Warehouse
April 27, 2013
Fire ripped though a large commercial produce warehouse Friday afternoon on Amber Street, near Brent Lane and I-110 in Pensacola. Escambia County firefighters from as far as way Cantonment were dispatched to the blaze, where they were assisted by units from Santa Rosa County, the City of Pensacola and the U.S. Navy.
A possible explosion at the scene was reported as the fire started in the building used primarily by Sunrise Fresh Produce Co. Three smaller food companies also rent space in the 129,000 square foot building
An evacuation was ordered within one block of the facility as a precaution due to a possible ammonia leak from refrigeration units in the building. All firemen were pulled from the building for their safety after the roof began to collapse; fighters used aerial ladder trucks to fight the blaze.
One warehouse employee was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation. There were no other injuries reported.
Black smoke could been seen from most of Pensacola billowing into the sky during the afternoon hours.
Pictured above and below: A warehouse fire on Amber Street near Brent Lane Friday afternoon. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Above: The Fire as seen from Brent Lane near I-110.
Comments
3 Responses to “Major Fire Rips Through Large Produce Warehouse”
Based on the size of the facility the roof was either hot tar (built up) of modified bitumen (mod bit). Both use a tar for binding the sheeting material to the insulation. Both use sheeting that is tar based and burn extremely hot. The bulk of the smoke was probably from the 4-8 inches of foam insulation sandwiched between the roof deck and the sheeting. The combination creates an intense fire that tends to resist water and creates lots of smoke just like a tire fire. Glad injuries were minimal. Thanks to the FD for all they do, its’ not just a job!
Produce warehouse probably means refrigeration is present. If the refrigeration equipment is ammonia-based, a release of ammonia gas would be possible. Ammonia gas is very toxic and a release or potential for release would involve evacuation around the facility — possibly for several blocks downwind…
It stunk. I used Rawlson and Brent Ln to get to Airport Blvd and while sitting at that light odorous fumes were making me think the fire had something to do with that Rail Road yard that sits back there.
I had forgotten about the produce place.
It seemed like a lot of black toxic type smoke. I don’t recall hearing an explosion, but my ears don’t work all that well so I might not have heard it well enough to think about it during the time I was leaving Southern Scrap and going to the Grocery Outlet.. The sirens, many many sirens, started while I was shopping.