2A — BAKER CITY HERALD
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2020
FIRE FOAM
Continued from Page 1A
T URNING B ACK THE P AGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
October 30, 1970
Hugh Downs, master of ceremonies at the NBC “To-
day” show, arrived in Baker yesterday to accompany a
network TV camera crew into Hells Canyon and the Eagle
Cap Wilderness Area to fi lm segments on America’s
wilderness.
The Northeastern Oregon scenic footage will be
incorporated into a special scheduled for presentation in
January.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
October 30, 1995
State fi re experts continue to investigate a hunters’
warming fi re that, with help from someone, spread into a
nearby slash pile near Goodrich Creek and damaged two
pickup trucks Friday afternoon.
The blaze burned about a quarter of an acre, said Joe
Hessel, forest practices forester at the Oregon Department
of Forestry’s Baker City offi ce. Flames reached a gate that
blocks vehicles from entering Baker City’s watershed, but
did not pass it, he said.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
October 29, 2010
Charter Communications plans to remove KTVB Chan-
nel 7, the NBC affi liate in Boise, from its Baker City channel
lineup.
KTVB will go away on Dec. 1.
The Portland NBC affi liate, KGW Channel 8, will still be
broadcast.
This isn’t the fi rst time Charter has announced its plan
to drop KTVB.
In 2005 the company proposed eliminating the channel
from its Baker City and La Grande programming due to
poor signal quality.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
October 30, 2019
Suzan Ellis Jones is happy for her friend, Greg Walden,
who announced Monday he won’t seek a 12th term in
Congress representing Oregon’s 2nd Congressional
District.
But Jones is worried about the 2nd District, which
covers all of Oregon east of the Cascades and parts of
Jackson and Josephine counties in the state’s southwest
corner.
Jones, who is chair of the Baker County Republican
Party and has worked on Walden’s campaigns since he
was elected to Congress in 1998, believes Walden’s retire-
ment could open the way for a Democratic candidate to
win the House seat for the fi rst time in almost 40 years.
The last Democrat to represent the 2nd District was Al
Ullman of Baker City, who served 12 terms before losing
his bid for a 13th term in 1980.
“If we get the wrong nominee out of the May primary
we could lose the seat to the Dems,” Jones said on Tues-
day. “I’m very concerned.”
Walden is the only Republican among Oregon’s con-
gressional delegation.
Both the state’s U.S. senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff
Merkley, and the representative for each of the four dis-
tricts west of the Cascades, are Democrats.
O REGON L OTTERY
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Next jackpot: $3.7 million
POWERBALL, Oct. 26
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MEGA MILLIONS, Oct. 27
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Mega
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WIN FOR LIFE, Oct. 26
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PICK 4, Oct. 27
• 1 p.m.: 0 — 4 — 2 — 2
• 4 p.m.: 7 — 6 — 2 — 1
• 7 p.m.: 1 — 4 — 2 — 7
• 10 p.m.: 7 — 3 — 8 — 2
LUCKY LINES, Oct. 27
3-8-10-16-17-22-28-31
Next jackpot: $13,000
S ENIOR M ENUS
■ FRIDAY: “Ghoulash,” peas, cornbread, coleslaw, cookies
■ MONDAY (Nov. 2): Chicken broccoli Alfredo over
fettuccine, mixed vegetables, biscuit, green salad,
cheesecake
■ TUESDAY (Nov. 3): Meat lasagna, caulifl ower,
breadsticks, carrot-raisin salad, roll, peach crisp
■ WEDNESDAY (Nov. 4): Orange-glazed chicken tender,
fried rice, Asian vegetables, bread, Asian salad, cookies
■ THURSDAY (Nov. 5): Sausage gravy over a biscuit,
ham, cheese and egg frittata, hash browns, orange slices,
cinnamon roll
Lunches at the Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., 11:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m.; $4.50 donation (60 and older), $6.75, under 60.
Meals must be picked up; there is no dining on site.
Casey Kump, deputy state
fi re marshal, said that in
his past experience with fi re
departments there had been
no requirement for backfl ow
devices on municipal water
fi re hydrants.
Jim Critchley, Pendleton
fi re chief and fi re marshal,
said he is “not aware of any
requirement for backfl ow
devices on fi re hydrants.”
Owen said that although
she is focusing on ensuring
the water is safe, she will be
talking with Lee and City
Manager Fred Warner Jr.
about the incident.
Owen described it as an
“operational issue” that
resulted in the foam entering
the water distribution system
through the hydrant.
The warehouse at 2330
10th St., between Madison
and Baker streets, is owned
by Nicholas Lien, who was
using it for his construction
company, Lee said. The struc-
ture was a total loss. Kump
and Zach Downing, Oregon
State Police arson investiga-
tor, determined that the cause
of the fi re was accidental.
“By the time we had the
wall down and the fi re out
there was not a lot left to do
an investigation,” Lee said.
Although the exact cause
could not be determined, Lee
said the fi re most likely was
linked to metal grinding re-
lated to roof repair work that
had been done the day before.
Lee said sawdust insula-
tion in the building might
have smoldered through the
night before igniting.
Both Owen and Bill Goss, a
drinking water specialist for
the Oregon Health Authority,
said it’s likely, but not certain,
that the foam was confi ned to
the neighborhood relatively
close to the fi re.
Owen said city crews closed
valves on water supply lines
and took other steps to limit
the water fl ow out of that
area.
But because the water
distribution system is consid-
ered a “single system,” Owen
said, OHA recommended that
the city suggest residents
throughout the city turn on
their taps to fl ush their pipes
as a precaution.
The city will credit each
water customer with an extra
750-gallon unit of water on
their next bill, Owen said.
That should more than make
up for the water residents
used to fl ush their pipes.
To determine whether any
traces of the foam remain,
the city collected four water
samples at 4 a.m. on Wednes-
day and a city employee
drove the samples across the
state to Myrtle Creek, south
of Roseburg, where a lab at
Umpqua Research Company
will analyze the water for the
presence of the main ingredi-
ent in the foam concentrate,
Owen said.
The water samples were
taken at 10th and H streets,
College and E streets, Broad-
way and Third streets, and
8th and A streets, she said.
COVID-19
Continued from Page 1A
Witty said he is aware
of the two students testing
positive, as well as two other
students who are “presump-
tive” cases.
Those are people who have
symptoms consistent with
C ONTACT THE H ERALD
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Open Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Telephone: 541-523-3673
Fax: 541-833-6414
Publisher
Karrine Brogoitti
kbrogoitti@lagrandeobserver.
com
Jayson Jacoby, editor
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Advertising email
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classified@bakercityherald.com
Circulation email
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ISSN-8756-6419
Serving Baker County since 1870
Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays except Christmas Day by the
Baker Publishing Co., a part of EO Media
Group, at 1668 Resort St. (P.O. Box 807),
Baker City, OR 97814.
Subscription rates per month are:
Baker City (97814), $10.80; all others,
$12.50.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
the Baker City Herald, P.O. Box 807, Baker
City, OR 97814.
Periodicals Postage Paid
at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Copyright © 2020
Jayson Jacoby / Baker City Herald
Baker City Fire Department crews pour water on a ware-
house fi re on Tuesday morning.
Building Formerly Part Of Ice
Cream, Ice Distribution Business
The warehouse that burned on Tuesday morning was
part of Schreeck’s Ice Cream, a business that also deliv-
ered ice in Baker City in the era before widespread use of
electric freezers.
A patrolling Baker City Police offi cer was the fi rst to
notice smoke billowing from the warehouse. The fi re
department was dispatched at 3:12 a.m.
Fire Chief Sean Lee said heavy smoke was coming out
of the eaves when fi refi ghters arrived.
As the fi re burned hotter and the mortar between the
bricks began to break down, an excavator was brought in
to tear down one of the walls to prevent the building from
collapsing, Lee said.
About 15 fi refi ghters from Baker City, Baker Rural
and the Haines fi re departments responded. Baker City
brought an engine and a ladder truck to the scene. Haines
and Baker Rural each brought two engines, Lee said.
The city’s ladder truck was placed between the fi re and
Burger Bob’s Drive-In at 2380 10th St. It was used both to
fi ght the fi re and to protect the drive-in, which was not
damaged in the fi re.
Firefi ghters worked through the early morning with
temperatures in the mid-20s. There were no injuries.
“The guys were all soaking wet and their turnouts were
freezing,” Lee said. “They were starting to make a big ice
slick and they were having a hard time standing up.”
— Chris Collins
On Wednesday afternoon
the city issued a press release
noting that the OHA had
advised that residents can
safely use city water as usual,
with these recommendations:
• Flush the water from the
cold tap for at least 5 min-
utes, or until the temperature
of the water drops, which
indicates that water from the
main supply line has passed
through your plumbing.
• Don’t drink water if
there are suds or foaming, or
unusual odors.
Goss said that based on the
city’s closing of valves and
fl ushing of supply lines, it’s
likely that the foam was “lo-
calized” to an area relatively
close to the fi re.
But it’s diffi cult to de-
termine with certainty the
precise extent of the foam’s
spread, Goss said.
“I would say this is going to
be a short-term event,” Goss
said on Wednesday morning.
“Flushing should resolve it.”
The foam concentrate is
manufactured by Perimeter
Solutions, a company owned
by SK Capital of New York
City. The product is called
PHOS-CHEK WD881.
According to the safety
data sheet for the product,
which companies are le-
gally required to provide, the
concentrate is considered a
“moderate” health hazard.
COVID-19 and have had
close contact with someone
who tested positive, but
haven’t themselves tested
positive.
The Pine Eagle Charter
School at Halfway announced
Tuesday that two students
from grades 7-12 had also
tested positive.
N EWS OF R ECORD
DEATHS
Loy Smith: 85, of Baker City,
died Oct. 27, 2020, at her home
in Ashley Manor. Arrangements
are under the direction of Tami’s
Pine Valley Funeral Home &
Cremation Services. Online con-
dolences can be made at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.
com
POLICE LOG
Baker City Police
Arrests, citations
FAILURE TO APPEAR (Two
Baker County warrants): Chuck
Wayne Briney, 27, of Baker City,
10:35 p.m. Monday, in the 1900
block of Broadway Street; jailed.
THIRD-DEGREE THEFT and
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker
County Justice Court warrants):
Michael Steven Myers-Gabiola,
29, of 2440 Fifth St., 11:27 p.m.
Tuesday at Spring Garden Av-
enue and Elm Street; cited and
released.
Baker County Sheriff’s
Offi ce
Arrests, citations
FAILURE TO APPEAR (Baker
County Circuit Court warrant):
Leigh Ann Hunter, 40, of 1757
Broadway St., 1:18 p.m. Monday,
at the Courthouse; cited and
released.
That’s based on the concen-
trate itself, not when it’s been
diluted in water.
The product can cause ir-
ritation to the skin, eyes and
respiratory tract if inhaled,
and if ingested it can cause
gastrointestinal irritation,
nausea, vomiting and diar-
rhea.
Owen said the situation
is particularly challenging
because the foam residue, un-
like other water contaminants
such as bacteria, can’t be
eliminated by boiling water.
Businesses, residents deal
with water issue
The Animal Clinic of Baker,
at 2490 10th St., about a block
and a half north of the fi re,
was among about 40 busi-
nesses or homes for which
the city turned off the water
Tuesday while fl ushing sup-
ply lines.
Jessica Hellberg, the
Clinic’s offi ce manager, said
the water, which had notice-
able foam Tuesday morning,
was turned back on between
3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Hellberg said the ani-
mals’ water dishes had all
been fi lled before the fi re, so
that water didn’t need to be
replaced immediately.
Employees, who frequently
wash their hands, used hand
sanitizer while the water was
turned off, Hellberg said.
The Clinic had distilled
water available, and an em-
ployee bought bottled water
around midday.
Hellberg said employees
ran the taps Tuesday after-
noon to fl ush the pipes, and
they planned to do so again
Wednesday morning as there
was some lingering foam.
She said city offi cials
stopped at the Clinic Tuesday
morning to let employees
know the water would be
turned off, and why, and
returned later in the day
with information about fl ush-
ing the business’ pipes. The
Clinic also received automat-
ed phone calls through the
county’s reverse 911 system,
Hellberg said.
“They did a good job,” she
said of the city’s response.
Elisabeth Munsell wasn’t
complimentary.
Munsell, who lives at
Ninth and A streets, said
she felt ill Tuesday morn-
ing at work after drinking a
half cup of coffee made with
tapwater from her home.
She said the water didn’t
smell or look unusual.
Munsell said there were
bubbles in the water in her
toilet bowl Tuesday morning.
Munsell said she didn’t
learn about the foam in the
water lines until about 2 p.m.
Tuesday, when her boyfriend
called her at work and said
city workers were posting
notices at homes and busi-
nesses in her neighborhood.
“I feel like it could have
been handled a lot better,”
Munsell said. In particular
she wished the city had noti-
fi ed residents earlier.
She said she fl ushed her
water lines Tuesday and
planned to do so again
Wednesday.
She said she was feeling
somewhat better although
her stomach was still upset.
According to a timeline
in a press release the city
issued Wednesday morning,
the city shut off water to
about 40 customers near the
fi re at 9:30 a.m. and at that
time started fl ushing main
supply lines in the area.
City workers also closed
valves in supply lines at 10
a.m. to isolate water in that
area.
According to the city’s
timeline, employees between
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. hand-
delivered notices about the
contamination to homes
and businesses in a 12-block
area between Broadway and
C streets and between 8th
and 11th streets.
At Saint Alphonsus
Medical Center in Baker
City, which is several blocks
northwest of that area
where the foam was found,
workers took several steps
Tuesday, said Mark Snider,
a spokesman for the Saint
Alphonsus system.
“Patient safety is our top
concern, and our protocols
go above and beyond the
city’s recommendations
on how to address water
problems,” Snider wrote
in an email to the Herald
Tuesday afternoon. “We
have fl ushed the boiler, and
fl ushed all water lines (sinks
and showers) in both the
hospital and clinic. Also, we
are replacing every water
fi lter in the buildings; that
process should be complete
by (Wednesday) morning.
This includes fi lters in medi-
cal equipment, ice makers,
etc.”
Snider said the hospital
had bottled water available
while the fi lters were being
replaced.
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