3-alarm warehouse fire erupts at Big Pasco industrial complex
A three-alarm fire ignited inside a 7,000-square-foot warehouse in the Big Pasco Industrial Center on Wednesday morning.
Alarms triggered at 6:10 a.m. in the T-107 building, sending firefighters from around the Tri-Cities to the warehouse at the Port of Pasco complex. More than 30 fire vehicles were at the scene at one point.
Smoke was billowing from all four doors of the concrete building at 2480 E. Ainsworth Ave. when crews first arrived.
The fire triggered an inside sprinkler system, helping to keep the blaze contained, but it was challenging to find all the areas burning because of the size and number of boxes in the warehouse, said Pasco’s Deputy Fire Chief Chris Mortensen.
The building appears to be operated by wholesaler Sonilex Wegacell, which imports and sells accessories for cellphones. No one was at work when the fire began.
The merchandise in the warehouse is in boxes and, Mortensen said, they haven’t determined what burned and where the fire started. Officials also will need to determine whether the structure was damaged.
While the fire was under control within two hours, crews will stay at the site until this evening as they slowly search for hot spots. The estimated 100 firefighters on the scene were joined by the Department of Ecology, Mortensen said.
The amount of shelving and items require that firefighters are moving slowly through the warehouse to make sure it’s safe for them to be inside.
Big Pasco Industrial Center is a 600-acre complex owned by the public port and is home to warehouses, manufacturing and fruit and vegetable packing.
The port officials said Ainsworth will be closed at S.E. Road 24 for several hours, according to a Facebook post.
It’s not immediately known how many Sonilex Wegacell employees work at the warehouse.
The blaze did serve as a training opportunity. The regional fire academy was in session nearby when the fire started, and many could be seen at the site watching the firefighting efforts.
This story is still breaking. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 10:24 AM.