Shelter In Place Order Lifted, Fire Still Burning In Salinas

SALINAS, CA — A massive, four-alarm fire ignited at a food processing plant in Salinas, leading authorities to evacuate nearby neighborhoods and forcing schools to close.

Nearly 100 firefighters battled the blaze Wednesday night at Taylor Farms, and fire officials worried about possible explosions and chemical leaks. Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for an estimated 35,000 people early in the morning. The order was lifted at 1:30 p.m.

Salinas is about 17 miles south of Watsonville.

Michele Vaughn, chief of Salinas Fire, told SF Gate a welding project ignited flames in a wall. The fire spread to the attic of the building. Multiple roofs collapsed.

Taylor Farms told customers in a letter that its primary food service production facility on Abbott Street was “severely damaged” by a structure fire.

"The facility has been closed for the Winter season and we were in the process of preparing the plant for our season move to Salinas," the company said.

No one was hurt in the fire, the company said, and on-site employees were evacuated.

The company said it plans to continue operating out of its Yuma, Arizona, factory as it rebuilds the Salinas facility.

Videos and photos posted on social media showed a plume of thick, black smoke billowing out of the factory.

"Ash is raining down as firefighters try and contain a 4 alarm structure fire on Taylor Farms in Salinas," tweeted Ricardo Tovar, managing editor of KION-TV.

All Salinas Union High School District Schools closed Thursday due to the fire and the associated shelter-in-place order, North Salinas High School tweeted.

The Monterey County Office of Emergency Services notified the district Thursday morning the school said.

The shelter order affected most of southern Salinas.

"That was a small area in terms of the schools that may be affected. However, the map of the affected areas has now grown to include more than half of the students we serve in our schools," the school tweeted.

California Water Service said its crews were monitoring the large fire. Its crews were supporting Salinas Fire with additional pressure and supply.