Ammonia threat contained at burning Oregon seafood plant, officials say

The threat of an ammonia leak from a burning seafood plant in a coastal Oregon city has been contained, authorities said, hours after a fire erupted, prompting evacuations over fears of potential health risks. Between 30 and 40 people were inside Pacific Seafood in Newport when flames broke out in the freezer facility just before 9 a.m. Sunday, causing part of the building to collapse, according to officials. It’s currently unclear how the fire started, city spokesperson John Fuller said. Firefighters battled the blaze into the evening after thick plumes of smoke billowed over the quiet fishing hub, which is located 90 miles southwest of Portland and has just over 10,000 residents. An initial one-mile evacuation order, prompted by concerns that the smoke contained ammonia, included large swaths of the small city that local officials tout as the heart of the Oregon Coast.