Frequently Asked Questions

In response to recent questions received from community members since introducing this resource page, we have added to our FAQs. We hope you find the following information helpful.

• NEW How is air quality being monitored and measured within the surrounding region?

• As originally shared by The Benton-Franklin Health District, the BFHD Environmental Health Team in partnership with the Washington State Department of Health and the WA Department of Ecology have installed PurpleAir sensors in the Finley area. These sensors will be working 24/7 to gather air quality data that is easily accessible to the public in real-time by visiting the EPA Fire and Smoke Map (airnow.gov). This new data complements current and forecasted air quality information available on the Department of Ecology's Washington Air Monitoring Network webpage. As another resource, the Washington Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution (PDF) graphic provides health recommendations for the different color-coded air quality categories based on EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI).

• NEW When was the Lineage Kennewick facility built and what did it house?

• Originally built in 1991 and later expanded in 1997, the approximately 525,000 square-foot warehouse was fully dedicated to the cold storage of food. Within the facility, we ensured the freshness of a variety of agricultural products and ready-to-ship vegetables, ranging from potatoes, corn, carrots, peas and more. Lineage’s role within the food supply chain—more specifically the cold chain—is to ensure cold food, such as produce, meat, poultry and dairy, is safely stored and transported through the “middle mile” – from growers and producers to manufacturers and retailers, and ultimately, to the plates of millions of homes across the country.

• NEW Are there any chemicals stored at the facility that pose a risk to community members?

• There were no bulk hazardous materials or chemicals stored at our facility. Our Kennewick warehouse, located adjacent to Finley, was exclusively used for the cold storage of food. While our on-site freezing technology utilized anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant for cold storage, we want to assure the community there was no ammonia detected in the atmosphere during the fire or in the days following. As part of standard protocols, ammonia detectors were installed on-site at the onset of the fire by the Washington State Department of Ecology, and at no time has there been ammonia detected in the atmosphere. In partnership with Benton County Fire District #1, the liquid anhydrous ammonia at the facility was safely removed from the scene in the days after the fire began.

  We continue to partner with all local, state and federal agencies, including the Benton County Fire Department, the Benton-Franklin Health District, the Benton County Commissioners, the Benton County Clean Air Agency, the Washington State Department of Ecology, and the WA Department of Health to provide access to the site for any additional testing needs.

• Why aren’t firefighters able to extinguish the fire that is still burning?

• With a building approximately 12 acres in size, safety for first responders is a critical factor, as firefighters are unable to safely get to the areas of the facility that are still smoldering. According to information shared by Benton County Fire District #1, even with its tallest fire truck, firefighters cannot reach much of the center of the building with water. To date, firefighters have put about 36 million gallons of water onto the fire.

  As of May 24th, the local Benton County Fire District #1 handed central control of the scene over to Lineage, and we have contracted Signal Restoration Services to spray water on debris as construction equipment opens new areas. While the Benton County Fire District #1 has departed the scene to ensure they also are serving other emergency response needs in the community and region, they continue to respond and assist in urgent situations of periodic fire flare ups resulting from the unearthing of dry materials and debris. We have seen and will continue to see a significant improvement with smoke shedding as we are able to get to the nucleus of the structure and suffocate hot spots better each day.

• What actions are being taken to expedite putting out the fire?

• Our immediate priority is coordinating with Signal Restoration Services to remove debris that will give firefighters better access to our facility to put out the fire and abate any unsafe conditions. This includes directing clean-up activities towards the center of the warehouse, providing safe access to areas currently unreachable by the firefighters. With approximately 90,000 tons of debris, consisting of concrete, metal, plastic, electronics and food, throughout a nearly 12-acre facility, Signal is deploying 47 heavy-duty construction vehicles (e.g., bulldozers, excavators, etc.) facilitating 60-70 of truckloads departing the site daily. Based on assessments of structure stability, existing debris and available work area, this is the maximum capacity of vehicles we are confident in deploying to ensure the safety of construction crews and first responders.

• Why aren’t fire suppression and debris removal crews working 24 hours per day?

• We are committed to working as expeditiously as possible and while we’d like to operate 24 hours per day, there are a few factors that prevent continuous activity, with the health and safety of on-site support crews chief among these considerations. Operating in darkness adds risk to the specially trained and certified operators and ground staff, but we are currently working extended hours as conditions and safety conditions allow—and we’re installing additional lighting towers to further improve evening visibility and extend the hours of operation. Additionally, given the complicated nature and immense scale of the clean-up efforts amidst smoldering debris and active flare-ups, moving forward with clearing or treating certain areas of the fire sometimes requires approval by various agency investigators and inspectors who aren’t available 24/7. However, we are working closely with local officials and continue to maximize and accelerate our clean-up and fire suppression efforts as safely as possible.

• When will the fire be out?

• Update: As of June 20, the fire has been fully extinguished.

• Why is it taking so long for the fire to be fully suppressed?

• According to Benton County Fire District #1, the location and size of the area that has been burning at the center of the 12-acre building is too large for hoses to fully reach the center of the fire, even with its tallest fire truck at full blast, or for the rain to have made enough of an impact. The Benton County Fire District #1 and Signal Restoration Services have been monitoring for flare-ups where their hoses can reach and responding accordingly, but it is too dangerous to send firefighters on foot through the unstable structure to reach more central areas. Demolition and debris removal is underway to help clear a path for firefighters to safely reach and extinguish smoldering areas.

  Additionally, prior to Lineage safely securing access to our on-site well and pumps through our clean-up activities and with approval by agency officials and investigators, water access for firefighters was a challenge. Finley has no domestic water and there are restrictions on access to ditch water from the Columbia Irrigation District and domestic water from the City of Kennewick. The Benton County Fire District #1 also previously stated it refrained from using too much irrigation water in order to protect the livelihood of local farmers and ranchers that rely on it, pulling from the irrigation canals only when necessary and with permission.

• Are water restrictions continuing to limit fire suppression activities?

• No. As a result of our clean-up activities to date, Lineage has secured access to our on-site well and have worked with fire investigators for approval of use of our water pump powered by on-site generators we installed, which are now being used to fill the tanks on the multiple water cannon trucks Signal Restoration Services is utilizing for fire suppression. We also petitioned the Columbia Irrigation District to remove restrictions on ditch water usage and provide increased access, which we now have with limitations on use when the temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Why can’t you use a helicopter to dump water on the fire?

• According to information shared by Benton County Fire District #1, the state will not provide air resources because the fire is not spreading. Since it is contained within the building’s footprint, it does not pose a threat to homes, wilderness areas or natural resources. Also, there is the additional concern that water drops could further destabilize the structure of the building.

• How big was the Lineage Kennewick building?

• Our Kennewick warehouse, located adjacent to Finley, covered approximately 12 acres and served as a central cold storage solution for the region’s agricultural products and ready-to-ship vegetables, ranging from potatoes, corn, carrots, peas and more. While the fire has caused a disruption to the food supply, we've marshalled many resources both internally and externally to respond quickly, diverting millions of pounds of food to keep the food supply chain running to alternate facilities, retailers and community tables throughout the region.

• How did the fire start, and who is responsible for it?

• The cause of the fire is still under investigation. No foul play is suspected. Lineage has been working in partnership with the Benton County Fire District #1, several fire origin experts and investigators to determine what started the fire.

• How is Lineage coordinating with the Benton County Fire District #1, the Benton-Franklin Health District and other local officials?

• Lineage’s top priority continues to be the health and safety of our employees, partners, and the communities in which we live and operate, and we have been working closely with local officials, emergency responders and area partners to address the situation. We value the guidance and expertise of the Benton County Fire District #1, the Benton-Franklin Health District, the Benton County Commissioners, the Benton Clean Air Agency, the Washington State Department of Ecology, and the WA Department of Health, along with many additional partners, and we have worked alongside them to coordinate the response at every stage of this incident. As we coordinate our efforts in alignment with local officials, our immediate priority is coordinating with Signal Restoration Services to remove debris as quickly as possible.

• What happened to all the employees working at the facility?

• We are proud to share there were no injuries at the facility as a result of the fire, and we’ve actively been relocating our workforce to other Lineage facilities in the area, having offered all 82 of our team members positions elsewhere, with the vast majority (upward of 90%) already back at work.

• Will you be rebuilding the Lineage facility?

• Our immediate priority is coordinating with Signal Restoration Services to remove debris and put out the fire. Conversations surrounding the future of our Kennewick facility will be our focus following the resolution of our current fire suppression and clean-up efforts.

• Will the loss of this warehouse impact the region’s food supply?

• While the fire caused an initial disruption to the food supply, we've marshalled many resources both internally and externally to respond quickly, diverting millions of pounds of food to keep the food supply chain running. To date, we’ve ensured redistribution of food that would have otherwise been stored at our Kennewick facility to alternate facilities, retailers and community tables throughout the region.