A massive fire at a sprawling medical supplies warehouse in Tracy is still burning as of Friday morning, and fire officials say it could take days to fully extinguish the blaze. The five-alarm fire broke out Thursday at the 1-million-square-foot facility, which is operated by Medline Industries.
Approximately 170 firefighters were initially called to the scene, though that number has since been reduced to 35 as crews continue suppression efforts, according to Joseph Spani, a spokesperson for the Central Valley Incident Management Team. The fire is currently contained to the warehouse, but the building is considered a total loss, with multiple roof collapses reported throughout the structure.
A nearby FedEx facility downwind from the fire sustained exterior damage when pallets outside caught fire as the blaze initially spread. No injuries to first responders or Medline employees have been reported.
All employees working at the warehouse at the time were safely evacuated and accounted for, the company confirmed in a statement. Road closures implemented Thursday afternoon remain in effect, restricting semi truck access to nearby industrial warehouses.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Fire suppression efforts will continue throughout Friday and likely extend into the weekend, Spani said.
This is a developing story.