Investigators have determined the fire that destroyed the Pacific Seafood processing facility in Warrenton, Ore. was an accident.
Meanwhile, Pacific Seafood CEO Frank Dulcich issued another statement reiterating his vow to rebuild.
“Out of this tragedy, we see great opportunity to start from a clean slate and develop a new state-of-the-art facility that is second to none,” he said. “Not only will we rebuild, but we will also expand to provide even more service to our customers and jobs for our community.”
According to published reports, the June 4 fire started with a blowtorch igniting the underside of the roof. It was unlikely the fire was noticed for some time. Workers were using the blowtorch as part of maintenance work on the roof.
After the fire, the company transferred its operations and personnel to other facilities until the investigation was finished.
“Despite the loss of the Warrenton facility, we have had zero disruption in our supply thanks to the tireless work and dedication from our team members, our fisherman and the community,” Dulcich said. “It has been a truly impressive show of what can be accomplished as a unified team through hard work and commitment.”
Dulcich said the company can’t announce a timeline for rebuilding yet, as he is still waiting for a final estimate of damages and a report from the company’s insurance company.
