Fire at Washington seafood facility destroys hundreds of crab pots before season opener

ILWACO, Wash. (AP) — A fire at a port seafood facility along the coast in Washington state destroyed more than 1,000 crab pots just ahead of the state’s commercial Dungeness crab season. KING-TV reports the blaze began around noon on Monday at the Port of Ilwaco. The town is located near the mouth of the Columbia River and north of Astoria, Oregon. No injuries were reported. Ilwaco officials say about 8,500 crab pots on the deck surrounding the building made it difficult to fight the fire. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. The Dungeness crab harvest is Washington’s most valuable commercial fishery.