State looks into Tracy warehouse fire as part of ongoing safety complaint inspection

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal-OSHA) said on Wednesday that it will be looking into a fire that destroyed a Tracy medical supplies facility as part of an ongoing inspection that began days prior.

Medline Industries' 1-million-square-foot distribution center caught fire on June 11 and became one of the largest commercial structure fires in recent state history.

Cal/OSHA did not say whether it is believed the fire was directly related to that initial safety complaint, which was filed on June 8. The department said it only "plans to look into the fire" as part of that inspection.   

Cal-OSHA has not released specific details on that safety complaint, as the case remains open.  

The medical supplies facility has faced seven OSHA complaints since 2022, costing the company thousands of dollars in penalties.

The Medline warehouse has faced serious citations regarding unsafe vehicle travel behavior; hazardous aisles, ladders, or stairways; and a lack of sufficient foot protection for employees exposed to foot injuries. 

All employees and staff at the facility were evacuated safely. There have been no reports of injuries from the fire.

The Medline Industries website says the company is the largest provider of medical-surgical products to all points of care nationwide.

As of Wednesday, fire officials said they handed over control of the warehouse to Medline and their environmental team so the cleanup phase could begin.