CHICO — Chico Fire Department and Cal Fire-Butte County responded early Tuesday morning to a warehouse fire on Nord Avenue that closed the road.
Fire personnel received the call shortly before 1 a.m. regarding a commercial building fully engulfed in flames. The fire was seen from The Oasis bar.
The warehouse at 310 Nord Ave. is operated by Hunt and Sons Inc. which distributes petroleum products. Nord Avenue was closed between West Sacramento Avenue and West First Street.
“It’s a petroleum facility so it’s a combination of above-ground gasoline diesel kerosine tanks and then a warehouse full of 55-gallon drums, 200-gallon totes, five-gallon jugs of fuel,” said Chico Fire Department Division Chief Wes Metroka. “So a mixture of grease, motor oil, gasoline, diesel, you name it, it was in there.”
Metroka said there was roughly 14,000 gallons of fuel in the warehouse.
Firefighters, as well as personnel that deal with hazardous waste management, are expected to be out at the scene throughout the day to continue cleaning up fuel and putting out the remaining fire.
“Fire’s like that don’t just go out because you have the flammable liquid that just continues to burn,” Metroka said.
With the fire being controlled by firefighters from both the Chico Fire Department and Cal Fire-Butte County, the main concern will be fuel cleanup. Metroka said fuel has been pouring throughout the area surrounding the scene into drainage and runoff areas.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
No one was in the warehouse at the time of the fire and no deaths or injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
Chico State University has been closed for the day because of the fire. Employees who were picking up paychecks can go by the Information Center at West Second and Normal Avenue from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
