Benicia Fire Chief Releases Statement On Cause Of Port Fire

BENICIA, CA — Benicia Fire Chief Josh Chadwick released a statement Tuesday afternoon on the preliminary findings of the investigation into the cause of the Benicia Port Fire, which broke out Saturday and consumed part of the pier.

"While the fire investigation is still open and ongoing, preliminary findings indicate that the origin of the fire was on or near the lower portion of the coke conveyor belt system near the base of the silos," said Benicia Fire Chief Josh Chadwick. "The fire appears to be unintentional in nature. Electrical and mechanical causes have not yet been ruled out."

The fire erupted at 12:20 p.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of Bayshore Drive and burned for nearly 24 hours, damaging a petroleum terminal on the commercial dock.

In an update late Tuesday, Benicia city officials said Valero and Amports have submitted engineering reports to the U.S. Coast Guard and the State Lands Commission.

The terminal for petcoke remains closed for use. There are multiple terminals on the dock and it was the terminal for petcoke that was damaged during the fire, the city said.

Valero is seeking to use the eastern terminal for crude delivery. Amports is seeking to use the western terminal to accept vehicles. Once the Coast Guard approves the reports, operation by Valero and Amports may resume.

Monday morning, there was a joint command meeting led by the U.S. Coast Guard, which included attendees from the city of Benicia, Valero, Amports, State Lands and California Fish & Wildlife.

The Dutra Group was still onsite picking up debris late Monday and there was still a 1,300-foot boom in the water to contain debris.

California Fish & Wildlife had not identified any harm to fish or habitat as of late Monday.

The City of Benicia has scheduled bi-weekly meetings with Valero and Amports to discuss assessment of damage to the port, operational ability, and the process, permits and next steps needed to begin clean-up and reconstruction of the fire-damaged portion of the Benicia Port Pier.

In response Tuesday to the preliminary findings of the fire investigation, San Francisco Baykeeper issued a statement.

"Fossil fuels are dirty and dangerous every step of the way—from drilling, to processing and transporting, to burning for fuel," Baykeeper Executive Director Sejal Choksi-Chugh said. "The fire at the Port of Benicia could have been much, much worse, and we're thankful that no lives were lost in the incident. Baykeeper will continue to monitor the site and engage with its operators, and if there are plans to reopen the port, we will advocate for stronger measures to protect the health of the Bay and its communities from the potential risks posed by dirty fuels like petcoke."

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