Arson Suspected in Seafood Plant Fire

Arson is suspected in an early-morning fire that caused an estimated $300,000 damage Saturday at a sea urchin processing plant near downtown Ventura, fire officials said.

The fire, which destroyed the office and part of the plant at Pacific Marine Products, also will put about 100 people out of work, at least temporarily, owner Nobuko Matsui said.

A caller using a pay phone reported the blaze at 1:55 a.m., fire officials said. When firefighters arrived at the building, which is at the foot of Kalorama Street, the office and about a quarter of the plant were fully involved in flames, Batallion Chief Bill Rigg said.

About 30 firefighters managed to keep the blaze from spreading to the rest of the 32,500-square-foot building--a long, wood-frame, metal-clad structure that was once a railroad warehouse. But they had to retreat at one point when roof insulation started to come down, Rigg said.

He said two freight trains had to wait for several hours because fire hoses covered the Southern Pacific tracks. The burned building is in a remote lot sandwiched between the railroad tracks and the Ventura Freeway.

Arson investigator Jim Glew said someone apparently started the blaze because other possible causes had been ruled out. He said the investigation is continuing.

Pacific Marine is one of two Ventura County companies that buy sea urchins from divers who harvest the spiny creatures from the ocean floor. The plants process and package sea urchin roe for export to Japan, where it is considered a delicacy.

Matsui said two to three tons of frozen roe was destroyed in the blaze. Fire officials estimated the loss at $100,000 to the contents and $200,000 to the structure.