{"id":636,"date":"2026-06-13T04:32:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T04:32:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=636"},"modified":"2026-06-13T04:32:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T04:32:01","slug":"chemicals-including-neurotoxin-set-ablaze-in-massive-california-warehouse-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=636","title":{"rendered":"Chemicals including neurotoxin set ablaze in massive California warehouse fire"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Public health officials are warning residents in San\u00a0Joaquin County to take precautions after toxic chemicals were set ablaze at a\u00a0massive warehouse fire in Tracy that began on Thursday. Thirty-five engines and 120 firefighting personnel responded to the inferno at the million-square-foot warehouse, authorities said. The fire gave off smoke so intense it could briefly be seen in\u00a0space\u00a0by NOAA satellites.<\/p>

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San Joaquin County officials cautioned residents to remain indoors with the windows and doors shut if smoke is in the area, as the warehouse, which housed medical supplies for the company Medline, contained toxic materials and dangerous chemicals.<\/p><\/div>

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\u201cAmong the chemicals that were consumed in the Medline fire were an assortment of respiratory irritants, toxic gases, carcinogens, and at least one neurotoxin,\u201d Dr. Maggie Park, public health officer for San Joaquin County Public Health Services, said in a\u00a0statement. \u201cIf anyone in the vicinity of the smoke plumes inhaled the smoke and is experiencing sudden onset respiratory problems, headaches, dizziness, nausea, or throat irritation, they should report to their nearest emergency department for further evaluation and treatment.\u201d<\/p><\/div>

Onshore winds are expected to push smoke from the massive fire southward. Jamie Holt, the chief communications officer for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, told SFGATE as of Friday morning the smoke is not currently causing poor air quality as it remains aloft and suspended in the atmosphere.<\/p><\/div>

\u201cWe don\u2019t have a crystal ball, but our forecasters are saying the smoke will dissipate and will get less intense and will slowly move to south, southeast to down to San\u00a0Joaquin Valley,\u201d she said.<\/p><\/div>

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Holt said the smoke is expected to remain east of the coastal range and not push into the Bay Area. If the smoke remains aloft, it will dissipate via \u201catmospheric mixing\u201d and become \u201cless of a health concern\u201d as it moves, she explained.<\/p><\/div>

Fire officials in the area said the blaze still presents a danger, as it is expected to burn for days. Brian Bagley, deputy chief of operations for the South San Joaquin County Fire Authority, said in a\u00a0news conference Friday that after the fire broke out around 1\u00a0p.m. Thursday, fire crews had \u201cchallenges\u201d accessing water via local yard hydrants.<\/p>

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