Fire at Taylor Farms’ Salinas facility leads to evacuations, shelter-in-place order
An April 13 fire at Taylor Farms’ Salinas, California produce processing facility led to evacuations of the area.
According to the Salinas Californian, the evacuations were due to the potential for an explosion and hazmat plume of ammonia. About 35,000 people were ordered to shelter in their homes due to “an abundance of caution.”
As of the morning of April 14, crews remained on scene, with EPA Response Teams on the way. It was unknown what caused the fire.
Taylor Farms is a large producer of salad kits, bagged salads, vegetable blends and other produce snacks. It has more than 100 farming operations throughout the Salinas Valley.
The company issued the following response to the fire:
“On April 13, our primary Taylor Farms California Foodservice production facility at 1207 Abbott Street, Salinas, California, was severely damaged by a structure fire. Any onsite personnel were evacuated, and there have been no reported injuries. The facility had been closed for the winter season, and the team was not producing onsite. This is an active situation, and we’re working closely with our team, first responders, and the community. We anticipate no disruptions in supply to customers. Our other 20 production locations are continuing to operate. Thank you for your patience as we work through this difficult situation. We will provide updates as we know more.”
CEO Bruce Taylor also added:
“We are extremely grateful to all the local first responders for helping ensure the safety of all personnel onsite at the facility and those in the surrounding area. The Abbott Street location was our first home in California and the team there remains the emotional center of our company. The passion of our team and the incredible outpouring of support from our community will get us through these challenges. At difficult times, we lean on our core values: take care of the customer, take care of each other, do the right thing. We will continue to do all three.”
Photo: Salinas Fire Department
