Massive California Warehouse Fire Burns for Third Day; Chief Says ‘We’re Struggling’

California firefighters continued battling a blaze Saturday that engulfed a roughly 1-million-square-foot warehouse, prompting officials to warn residents about unhealthy air quality.

The fire raged at the Medline Industries warehouse in Tracy, a city of more than 100,000 residents about 55 miles east of San Francisco. Officials said they expected to continue fighting the blaze for several more days.

The cause and origin of the fire remain unknown. Law enforcement is investigating, according to the South San Joaquin County Fire Authority. No injuries were reported.

“We’re struggling a little bit to get to the seed of the fire,” Fire Chief Randall Bradley said at a Saturday press conference. “At some point, we’re hoping to secure the walls that haven’t fallen yet. And to get in and start moving some of the debris around so we can really get water into the seed of the fire.”

“We’re making some progress – but it’s slow,” he said.

Officials said earlier that firefighting efforts were hampered by a broken sprinkler system and low water pressure in hydrants. A spokesperson for Medline did not immediately respond Saturday to a request for comment on the warehouse’s water infrastructure.

About 5,000 gallons of water per minute have been used to combat the flames, Bradley said.

Heavy smoke is expected in the area for the next few days, but Bradley noted that the plumes had dissipated since the fire broke out Thursday.

Officials advised residents, especially those vulnerable to poor air quality, to stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed.

Officials also warned residents to avoid debris, which could contain hazardous materials, according to KCRA, an NBC affiliate in Sacramento.

The warehouse is set for demolition, Bradley said. A new facility is expected to be built on the site because it is a key distribution location, he added.

Medline supplies gloves, surgical masks and medical apparel, among other products.

A spokesperson for Medline said Saturday that the “vast majority of order lines” have been rerouted to other distribution centers.

“We have also 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,” the spokesperson said.

Fire authorities are coordinating with Medline personnel to retrieve vehicles left behind by employees when they evacuated. The company spokesperson said they are identifying work opportunities “in the near term” for affected employees.