Tracy Medline warehouse fire disrupts medical supply chain across western US

TRACY, Calif. - Flames were still visible Friday at a medical supply warehouse in Tracy after a massive fire destroyed the facility.

Officials say they are concerned about hazardous materials inside the Medline warehouse and the impact the loss could have on hospitals that rely on the facility's stockpiles.

"This is such a unique fire," said Chief Randall Bradley of with South San Joaquin County Fire Authority in Tracy . "There's probably been three or four of these in the history of our country, this size of warehouse fire. We may be here for three or four days."

Fire spread rapidly

What we know:

The fire started on the roof shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday at the medical supply site, which spans over 1 million square feet.

When firefighters arrived, they discovered the warehouse's hydrants were not working. The building's sprinkler system also failed to activate.

As a result, crews had to connect hoses from two fire engines to reach the city's water supply.

Fueled by strong winds and hazardous materials stored inside, the fire spread quickly. Officials said it took about 30 minutes for the entire warehouse to become engulfed in flames.

At a Friday afternoon press conference, Deputy Fire Chief Brian Bagley said crews are using 4,000 gallons of water a minute to fight the fire. In the last 10 hours, a million gallons of water were used.

Bagley said predictive modeling is favorable for this situation with the winds keeping smoke pollen away from residential areas. He said the smoke is visibly lighter from the day before and even from this morning.

The operation is expected to continue through the night.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Employees escape safely

What they're saying:

All 120 employees inside the warehouse evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported.

Fire officials later learned there were hundreds of robots inside the facility powered by lithium-ion batteries.

"That all burned, and the lithium-ion batteries that get destroyed by fire end up causing hydrogen fluoride gas, and that's not good," said Bagley.

Because of those dangers, firefighters are using specialized breathing equipment while battling the blaze.

Medical supply distribution disrupted

Big picture view:

Bagley said some trucks loaded with medical supplies were not damaged by the fire. Crews are working to determine how those supplies can be transported to hospitals that need them.

"This devastating fire is going to affect e-commerce throughout the nation, definitely on the western part of the United States, as this was the main distribution center for all medical supplies," Bagley said.

Air quality concerns remain

Debris from the fire has scattered into nearby neighborhoods, and embers have sparked several spot fires.

The smaller fires have been contained, including one that broke out near the FedEx facility next door.

Meanwhile, officials continue to monitor air quality in and around Tracy.

"The best thing for the community is to stay sheltered in place, stay away from the outdoors, especially if you're in and around the immediate Tracy area," Bagley said.

Speaking at an early Friday evening news conference, Tracy Mayor Dan Arriola said street sweeping of the debris has begun. He advised residents not to touch the debris. 

As for the air quality, he said some parts of the city have moderate concerns. He referred residents to AirNow.gov for up-to-date air quality information. 

Fire officials said local public health departments and the Environmental Protection Agency are working with them on these air quality concerns. 

California