Ammonia leak at factory prompted early morning shelter-in-place order for Burlington residents
Oct 13, 2025, 6:06 AM | Updated: 9:55 am
The shelter-in-place warning for Burlington residents after a reported ammonia leak occurred early Monday morning. (Photo courtesy of the Burlington Police Department)
(Photo courtesy of the Burlington Police Department)
An ammonia leak reported at Scoular Factory led to a shelter-in-place order for many residents in Burlington early Monday morning.
The Burlington Fire Department was called to respond to a fire alarm at Scoular, a global supply chain company, at 11 p.m. Sunday. The alarm was associated with one of the facility’s large industrial refrigeration units.
“Upon arrival, fire crews encountered a strong chemical odor. Through their investigation, it was determined that there was an ammonia leak inside the facility,” the Burlington Police Department stated on social media. “The site contains an 8,600-pound ammonia tank, although it is currently unclear how much ammonia has been released.”
After discovering the ammonia leak, a shelter-in-place order was issued for all residents within a half-mile radius of the facility, located at 1370 S. Anacortes Street. Included in the shelter-in-place order were instructions for residents to close all doors and windows, turn off HVAC systems, and remain indoors until further notice.
S. Anacortes Street was closed between Gilkey Road and Pease Road.
Just before 6 a.m., the Burlington Police Department announced the shelter-in-place has been lifted.
“HAZMAT teams have lifted the shelter-in-place order,” the department stated. “S. Anacortes Street is still closed at this time. We will update you when it is back open to normal traffic.”
Scoular released a statement following the incident.
“Scoular is investigating the ammonia leak that occurred late Sunday at our Burlington, Washington, frozen fish facility,” Melissa Matczak, the communications director for Scoular, stated. “We are monitoring the air quality and addressing the cause of the leak. No employees were injured. Safety is our top priority, and we will resume plant operations only when it is safe to do so. We thank the local first responders for their partnership and quick response.”
This is a developing story, check back for updates
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