[UPDATE 1:54 p.m. SHERIFF INFORMATION!! Reverse 911 calls are being sent out.] Neighbors Evacuating As Hash Lab Burns in Salmon Creek: Road Closed

Do not come into Salmon Creek. The Road is currently being closed.

A hash lab is reportedly on fire in lower Salmon Creek. The building is currently on fire. “Butane in the building: grey smoke coming out,” according to scanner traffic.

Neighbors are reportedly being evacuated near east of the intersection of Thomas Road and Salmon Creek. “They are requesting evacuations 1/2 mile west for a 180 gallon butane that is smoking,” according to scanner traffic.

UPDATE 11:35 a.m.: Donna Robinson, a resident and this reporter’s mother-in-law tells us that a her neighbor’s shed caught fire.

UPDATE 11:40 a.m.: According to scanner traffic, a 25 x 30 foot structure was on fire. A butane tank is smoking. There has been no explosion but the road is being closed and Hazmat has been called for. “Honey lab” is a term being used to describe the property.

UPDATE 11:50 a.m.: Salmon Creek Fire Chief tells us that Salmon Creek Road is closed one mile east of Salmon Creek and Thomas Road. Please do not try to go up or down the hill.

UPDAte 11:54 a.m.: We just received information there is 100 gallons of nitrogen also nearby.

UPDATE 12 p.m.: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department is requesting everyone within a mile of the point marked on the map evacuate. “”We just don’t know if this goes off what will happen.” the spokesperson tells us. He tells us that those who are east of the point go down towards town and those that are west of the point go towards Salmon Creek School. The School is being prepared to receive anyone who needs to go there. Reverse 911 calls are being sent out.

UPDATE 12:12 p.m.: Cal Fire reports that this is a fire with Hazardous Materials. Laura Coleman spokesperson reports the incident is in a “25X30 outbuilding/structure” which was on fire at time of dispatch.” She says, authorities are “evacuating residents one mile diameter from the incident; Hazardous Material has been confirmed. The hazardous material has been confirmed as 100 gallons of Nitrogen and a 180 gallon butane tank so there is a possibility of explosion.”

Agencies Involved: CAL FIRE, HCSO, Salmon Creek Fire, Miranda Fire, Hazardous Team Requested from Humboldt Bay (currently talking with the incident commander on how to proceed)

UPDATE 12:17 p.m.: Here is a map with the driveway marked. The white circle on the blue road indicates the driveway to the area. There are three pieces of property accessed off the driveway. The middle property is where the incident is occurring. A home burned down there several years ago.

Capture

UPDATE 12:40 p.m.: According to Lt. Mike Fridley of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the firefighters have not even begun to fight the fire because it is too dangerous. “They haven’t tried to stop it yet. Butane is extremely flammable,” he said.

UPDATE 1:54 p.m.: Latest information here.

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veterans friend
Guest
veterans friend
7 years ago

Looks like crack to me

hmm
Guest
hmm
7 years ago

“180 gallon butane”?

No ones safe!
Guest
No ones safe!
7 years ago

Omg, people have 500 gallon propane tanks by their houses, evacuate the county!!

anon
Guest
anon
7 years ago

That is literally so not neighborly

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago
Reply to  anon

Agreed. af

PinkAsso
Guest
PinkAsso
7 years ago

no kidding a 1 mile evac is a little of a joke. What with the nitrogen? for purging? Why not just make c02?

Roger H.
Guest
Roger H.
7 years ago

They should have Just put it in the business park like everyone else.

Alice Kimtu
Guest
Alice Kimtu
7 years ago

I have many friends and acquaintances in Salmon Creek who are impacted by this disaster. I’m sure almost everyone in SoHum knows someone up there. What will it take to stop these amateur lab geeks from exposing their neighbors to such potential harm?? Do we have to pressure businesses to stop selling butane? It seemed to have an impact with pesticides and rodenticides. Just sayin’….

Too bad
Guest
Too bad
7 years ago
Reply to  Alice Kimtu

People would just get butane thru other sources just like they do the awful rodenticides in the mail from companies like Gemplers which sells all the gnarly horrible poisons thru their catalogs or go to Oregon where it’s not illegal.

hmm
Guest
hmm
7 years ago
Reply to  Too bad

You’re right that anticoagulant rodenticide should be banned statewide.

laura
Guest
laura
7 years ago

is that near the yang martial arts retreat center?

seatrill
Guest
seatrill
7 years ago
Reply to  laura

The sharp corner where the mirror is and where the cop car went over a long x ago. Just before Wallans. We passed the hash house before fire crew was there and saw dumb sttuck young men on cell phones on the road.

Kato
Guest
Kato
7 years ago

Dr. Yang’s is just south of this area, more than a mile by the road, but possibly closer as the crow flies…

wsmac
Guest
wsmac
7 years ago

PinkAsso…
A 1 mile evac is a little of a joke? You mean not enough or too much?
Seems to me a mile is a good call… seeing as how I’m sitting at a keyboard and not out there at the scene to assess it myself… 😉
1. The possible explosion itself
2. The resulting fire at the shed… which might spread beyond… which might get out of control… which might overrun the neighbor’s homes, requiring evacuations at that point of anyone who didn’t leave or was already gone, additional support up and down the road, staging areas and whatnot… yeah, I think it’d be nice not to have non-essential persons trying to drive out at that point

and for “No One’s Safe”…
I’m sure they’re considering the propane tanks folks have at their homes in the area.
If any of those are within the 1 mile radius, sure, they can be a hazard also.
I went through a little bit of training surrounding propane fires back in the 80’s but I’m sure the info is still relevant… those tanks, when the safety mechanisms fail to work as planned, cause HUGE explosions.

Although, if the safety valves work, and the tank(s) are properly positioned, the gas should burn off… like the one I had in the back of my pickup did once in Texas. My propane conversion for the truck malfunctioned and caught fire… engulfed the whole truck rather quickly… fire dept. came up and put it out… no explosion when things worked as designed… but not everything does, everytime!

ROC pile
Guest
ROC pile
7 years ago
Reply to  wsmac

1 mile is a bit extreme, but since they aren’t even putting the fire out, over cautious was the call.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago

I’m certainly hoping that the owner of the property has been notified and that confiscation papers have been filed with the DA. This is one of the very rare instances I would advocate such action,but drastic times call for drastic measures…and these are them. Thank goodness this isn’t the middle of August. af

Grr
Guest
Grr
7 years ago

That’s dumb shit right there ! Very Very angry ! Grr ! That’s damn close to me . I really hope the fire doesn’t take out anyone else’s property than the dumbass that started it !

pHoEnix
Guest
pHoEnix
7 years ago

Once it has ‘blown over’ this would be a good thing to have a community meeting about (and not just in Salmon Creek)!! Neighbors to discuss their concerns, fire departments to share their knowledge about the hazards, etc. Hash it out, so to speak!

Ma. Toad Hall
Guest
Ma. Toad Hall
7 years ago
Reply to  pHoEnix

A meeting eriously needed. My neighborhood peaceful, safe and relatively responsible for at least 39 years. Newbies who don’t care buy a parcel and boom within two years: they have a structure fire in Freakin August. Seeing fire trucks going up my road at 10pm in August is no delight. Word is, these resident’s scene gets bigger. So expecting bigger screwups.

Sadbut....
Guest
Sadbut....
7 years ago
Reply to  Ma. Toad Hall

They are popping up all over. They are in neighborhoods and in downtown areas. This isn’t peace and love this is greediness at its best. Full lack of regard for any one or anything but themselves. Why is nothing being done to stop them? Really not the thing you want to turn a blind eye too.

Mogtx
Guest
7 years ago

Somebody please call firemarshall bill

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