Ignited methanol sparks fire, hazmat response at SLO biotech business
Update 2 p.m.:
SLO City Fire public information officer James Blattler said the regional hazmat team is expected to be at the scene for at least another hour, “dependent on how the entry goes from the fire crews and if they are able to mitigate all the potential issues.”
“If all is good and successful, we’re probably an hour out from closing the incident,” he said.
Update 1 p.m:
The SLO County regional hazmat team has arrived at Promega and is preparing to enter the room where the fire began, according to a SLO City Fire tweet.
The team will ensure all hazardous materials located inside are controlled and will eliminate the risk of reignition, according to the tweet.
Update 12:20 p.m.:
SLO City Fire has requested the regional hazmat team to respond to the incident.
According to a tweet around 12:15 p.m., the initial fire was ignited by methanol and was controlled by a fire suppression foam system.
Crews are currently making an assessment of the room of origin. The incident is still ongoing.
Original story:
San Luis Obispo City Fire crews are on scene for a potential hazmat incident in a warehouse off South Higuera Street on Tuesday.
According to a tweet by SLO City Fire, firefighters responded to reports of a commercial structure fire at 277 Granada around 11:45 a.m.
When they arrived, they found the fire out, but “crews are evaluating a potential hazardous materials situation.”
Biotech business Promega Biosciences LLC is listed at that address.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct who requested the regional hazmat team. It was SLO City Fire.
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 12:06 PM.
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