Large Warehouse Fire Near Galveston Port

Galveston firefighters spent hours battling a warehouse fire near the city’s port area after flames broke out Wednesday night at Texas Gulf Seafood on Pier 7, near 7th Street and Wharf Road. The fire started around 8:40 p.m. on August 5, according to local news reports citing the Galveston Fire Department and city officials. Heavy smoke and flames were visible from the waterfront, and the size of the blaze prompted a second alarm that brought in help from other Galveston County fire departments. Officials said Thursday morning that the fire had been brought under control, but crews remained on scene to watch for flare-ups. ### Where did the fire break out? Pier 7 was identified by multiple local outlets as the site of the fire, at the Texas Gulf Seafood distribution warehouse near Galveston’s Yacht Basin. The location is on the east end waterfront near the port area, close to 7th Street and Wharf Road. Houston Chronicle reporting earlier in the night described the fire as a large structure blaze near Harborside and Seventh Street and said the public was told to avoid the area. (khou.com) The City of Galveston Office of Emergency Management said around 11 p.m. that the Galveston Fire Department and other agencies were fighting a large structure fire in the area. The warehouse appeared to be near the University of Texas Medical Branch’s downtown Galveston campus, according to the Chronicle report. (khou.com) ### How large was the response? Galveston Fire Department crews called a second alarm after arriving and finding heavy smoke and fire coming from the warehouse, according to FOX 26 and KHOU, both citing fire officials. The second alarm brought in assistance from several Galveston County departments as firefighters worked to keep the flames from spreading to nearby waterfront buildings. (houstonchronicle.com) Thursday morning coverage from KHOU said firefighters had remained at the scene for several hours because of the size of the warehouse and the risk of hot spots. Officials said crews expected to stay for several more hours to make sure the fire was fully extinguished. ### Were there injuries or rescues? (fox26houston.com) ABC13 reported that one Galveston firefighter and a man in a wheelchair who was nearby were taken to a hospital, citing Galveston Fire Battalion Chief Tim Johnson. The station also reported that a dog was rescued from the scene. Click2Houston likewise reported that two people were hospitalized and a dog was rescued, though officials had not released the extent of the injuries. (khou.com) Houston Public Media reported a higher rescue count, saying three people and a dog were rescued from the fire, citing a city spokesperson. That report also said the fire was contained by early Thursday morning. Officials had not publicly reconciled the differing rescue and injury counts in the reports reviewed. (abc13.com) ### What do officials know about the cause? The cause of the fire remained under investigation as of Thursday morning, according to KHOU, FOX 26 and ABC13. None of those reports cited fire officials as naming an origin point or suspected cause. Tim Johnson told ABC13 that the warehouse appeared to be part of a shrimping business. (houstonpublicmedia.org) Click2Houston identified the building as a seafood distribution warehouse and said Texas Gulf Seafood supplies seafood to restaurants and grocery stores, including H-E-B. ### What happens next at the site? Thursday morning, firefighters were still dousing parts of the property and monitoring two damaged buildings to prevent flare-ups, ABC13 reported. (khou.com) KHOU said crews were expected to remain on scene for several more hours while the fire was completely extinguished. The next official step is the fire investigation into what sparked the blaze at the Pier 7 warehouse. (abc13.com)