Investigation continues into downtown Port Arthur warehouse fire
Published 12:10 am Thursday, July 11, 2019
- Port Arthur firefighters work to extinguish a warehouse fire early Monday morning at Worldwide Sorbent Products Inc. on Lakeshore Drive. PAFD received assistance from Port Neches and Groves fire departments. Mary Meaux/The News
The investigation into the fire that destroyed a downtown Port Arthur warehouse continued Wednesday, though in a different stage.
Port Arthur Fire Marshal Paul Washburn said the on-site investigation of the fire at Worldwide Sorbents Inc., which is on Lakeshore Boulevard, was complete.
The investigation is actually a joint investigation with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the final report will be written up by ATF investigators, he said. The investigation could take a few more weeks to complete.
The fire at the Worldwide Sorbent Products Inc. on Lakeshore Boulevard came in around 2 a.m. and by late morning the fire was under control. Then came the task of extinguishing the hot spots.
The roof of the large building that housed the warehouse, manufacturing area and office was partly caved in, making it difficult to extinguish all of the hot spots, some of which smoldered under pieces of the roof.
A fence at the back of the warehouse, adjacent to a large parking lot at Fourth Street, was torn down in places so firefighters could access the property and the “all clear” was later given.
Worldwide Sorbent Products Inc. provides oil spill cleanup services.
