Photo: Humboldt Bay Fire.

UPDATE, 2:50 p.m.: Press release from Humboldt Bay Fire:

A large column of black smoke in view, Humboldt Bay Fire crews responded to the 1400 block of McFarlan Street to reports of a structure fire.

Crews immediately went to work getting water on the fire, which was originating from a detached shed in the rear of a home and beginning to spread to a bordering detached garage. Crews were able to gain control of the fire within 13 minutes of the original dispatch and prevent fire spread to the home and any nearby property. Although initial reports from the scene alluded to possible illegal / drug activity, it has been determined that this fire was not drug lab-related. After investigation, the cause of the fire is undetermined.

Humboldt Bay Fire wants to remind the public to evacuate and call 911 immediately in the case of a fire, and never re-enter. Wait for help to arrive. Humboldt Bay Fire would also like to thank the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and Arcata Police Department for stopping to assist on scene, as well as Arcata Fire District for coverage, PG&E for power and gas shutoff, City Ambulance for standby, EPD and Eureka Code Enforcement for on-scene assistance, and our HHB Fire Support and Volunteers for ensuring scene safety.

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UPDATE, 1:45 p.m.:

The fire is under control. Amy Conlin, public information officer with Humboldt Bay Fire, confirmed to the Outpost‘s Stephanie McGeary on the scene that the fire started in a shed next to detached garage.

The shed is destroyed, but the house on the property is completely safe. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Asked if a drug lab was suspected, Conlin said the cause is still under investigation.

Any time we have a detached garage with metal containers around, a lab is a possibility, Conlin said, but that has not been confirmed in this case.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and Eureka Police Department also responded to the scene, as did a unit from the Arcata Police Department that was headed to St. Joseph Hospital to visit a patient when the officers spotted the blaze.

McFarlan Street should be reopened within a half hour or so, officials said.

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Original post:

Humboldt Bay Fire is responding to a blaze that erupted on the 1400 block of McFarlan Street in Eureka shortly after 1:15 p.m.

According to scanner traffic the fire was from “possibly a drug lab” located in an exterior shed that extended to a detached to a garage. 

McFarlan Street is currently closed. We will update with more information as it becomes available.