Fire at Oregon seafood plant prompts evacuations over ammonia fears

A fire broke out Sunday morning at Pacific Seafood, a major seafood processing and distribution plant in Newport, Oregon, prompting evacuations due to concerns about ammonia contamination, NBC News reported.

The city of Newport warned of an "extreme danger in the area" and ordered evacuations as thick smoke and fog filled the air, according to NBC News.

Officials later confirmed that an ammonia tank found on site was intact and not leaking, eliminating the risk of ammonia exposure, NBC News said.

Newport Fire Chief Rob Murphy noted that while trace amounts of ammonia were initially detected, there was no ongoing threat, and the main environmental concern remained the smoke from the still-burning fire.

The state fire marshal and hazmat teams were involved in securing the tanks and managing the situation, ensuring the product inside remained stable, NBC News reported.