BURLINGTON, Wash. — Residents in Burlington were told to shelter in place early Monday morning after an ammonia leak was reported at Scoular Factory.
According to the Burlington Police Department, at around 11 p.m. Sunday, the Burlington Fire Department responded to an automated fire alarm at Scoular, located at 1370 South Anacortes Street. The alarm was associated with one of the facility’s large industrial refrigeration units.
Arriving firefighters encountered a strong chemical odor and determined that there was an ammonia leak inside the facility. Police say the site contains an 8,600-pound ammonia tank, although it is unclear how much ammonia had been released.
As a precautionary measure, residents within a half-mile radius of the facility were asked to shelter in place. Those in the area were told to:
- Close all doors and windows
- Turn off HVAC systems
- Remain indoors until further notice
A reverse 911 notification was sent to impacted residents in the affected zone.
Additionally, South Anacortes Street was closed between Gilkey Road and Pease Road. Drivers were asked to use alternate routes and avoid the area to allow emergency crews to work safely.
Police confirmed at around 5 a.m. on Monday that firefighters were actively working with hazardous materials teams to assess the situation and ensure public safety.
By 5:39 a.m., the shelter-in-place order had been lifted, but South Anacortes Street was still closed.
By 6:25 a.m., Burlington PD confirmed that South Anacortes Street was back open to normal traffic.
Official updates from the City of Burlington can be found here.
The PBS Warning, Alert & Response Network (WARN) shared a map of the affected area:
Scoular’s Communications Director, Melissa Matczak, shared the following statement on behalf of the company:
“Scoular is investigating the ammonia leak that occurred late Sunday at our Burlington, Washington, frozen fish facility. We are monitoring the air quality and addressing the cause of the leak. No employees were injured. Safety is our top priority, and we will resume plant operations only when it is safe to do so. We thank the local first responders for their partnership and quick response."
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