TRACY, California—Demolition has begun on a Medline Industries distribution site in Tracy, California, after a massive fire burned through the 1 million-square-foot building. The home medical equipment manufacturer and distributor said it was working to support customers and re-distribute inventory.
The fire, which began June 11, was believed to have started on at the roof of the Medline building, according to South San Joaquin County Fire Authority Chief Randall Bradley.
Reports said the building and surrounding warehouses, which include a FedEx facility and an Amazon warehouse, were evacuated. About 120 of Medline's 900 local employees were present when the fire started; the company said none were hurt. Police said there were no other reports of injuries.
Medline said the company is intensely focused on serving its customers, and that it had enacted its contingency plan and set up a command center to provide 24 hours-a-day service. The company said medical products previously distributed through the Tracy facility have already been reassigned, and the vast majority of order lines have been rerouted to other Medline distribution centers within its regional network to support customers’ needs.
Medline said it has boosted regional staffing, regional inventory and transportation capacity through increased use of MedTrans trucks, third-party carriers and truck relay operations to accelerate product movement throughout the impacted region.
Bradley said low humidity and high temperatures and winds made fighting the fire difficult. Bradley also said sprinklers on the property were not operating and he was not sure why; he said the building was fully consumed in flames within 40 minutes.
"While the fire at our Tracy, California, distribution center represents a significant challenge, we are first and foremost grateful that every employee was safely evacuated and accounted for. Our priority right now is supporting our Tracy team. We’re providing on-site assistance, resources and ongoing communication as we work through next steps together."