Vashon Island Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at Pacific Research Laboratories shortly after 5 p.m. this evening.
On scene, Assistant Chief Bob Larsen said they were called to the facility because of an incident involving a welding torch and a fire in a garbage can. Initial reports are that no one was injured.
A small number of employees gathered in the parking lot recounted what they experienced. Ryan Greenville said he was using the torch when a fireball came at him, and he immediately grabbed a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Fellow employees Jeff Dittbrenner and Dylan Basurto said, they too, tried to extinguish the flames, but could not. Dittbrenner said he heard a “whoosh” and then saw and felt the flames, which reached up to the ceiling.