Due to the possibility of a large explosion, people within a mile radius of the Weaver Fertilizer Plant, after a fire started there late Monday night, and the precaution comes as fertilizer is highly combustible and can generate a lot of energy in an explosion. Winston-Salem Fire Chief Trey Mayo said Monday evening that fire crews “abandoned” the fire-fighting operation because of the large volume of ammonium nitrate on site. As reported by the AP:
Winston-Salem Battalion Chief Patrick Grubbs said at a news conference early Tuesday that the potential for an explosion was still possible
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — The City of Winston-Salem is asking people within one mile of a raging blaze at a fertilizer plant to evacuate due to the possibility of a large explosion.
WGHP-TV reported that the fire started Monday night at the Weaver Fertilizer Plant on North Cherry Street. City officials have confirmed small explosions at the plant.
Bright orange flames could be seen shooting into the sky along with thick plumes of smoke as lights from firetrucks and other first responder vehicles surrounded the fully engulfed building.
According to a Winston-Salem Police Department news release, the 4400 block of Cherry Street from North Point Boulevard to Indiana Avenue was closed while emergency crews, including about 90 firefighters and 150 others from different agencies, responded to the fire around 8:20 p.m. on Monday and it remains closed.
Winston-Salem Battalion Chief Patrick Grubbs said at a news conference early Tuesday that the scene was still very much active and that the potential for an explosion was still possible.
“We won’t be leaving the area anytime soon,” Grubbs said. But he asked that everyone stay out of the area and warned that there was going to be a lot of smoke and poor air quality.
Firefighters had said earlier there was the potential for a large explosion of ammonium nitrate. Winston-Salem Fire Chief Trey Mayo said Monday evening that fire crews “abandoned” the fire-fighting operation because of the large volume of ammonium nitrate on site.
The building had collapsed as well, and access to the product in the building was restricted, WGHP reported.
Firefighters had fought the blaze for nearly two hours, Grubb said, before they were pulled out and Emergency Management was called in and they are now accessing the scene every 15-20 minutes using drone teams from other fire departments, he said. Firefighters could not flow enough volume of water to be reasonably certain that they could keep it cool enough to prevent a detonation.
He said that once a railcar at the rear of the structure had become involved, they were unable to get water to the scene, so they decided to pull away because it had become a large explosive hazard.
As of early Tuesday, water is being pumped at the back of the location from a fire hydrant, Grubbs said.
“Don’t wait for something to happen. Something has happened,” Mayo had said on Twitter. “Now is the time to get out.”
At around 2 a.m. Tuesday, first responders were seen driving through the area asking residents to evacuate to safety as the threat of an explosion still loomed. Grubb said first responders were also going door-to-door to get people safely away from the area.
“The evacuation area around 4440 North Cherry Street has almost 6,500 residents or 2,497 households,” the City of Winston-Salem reported on its Twitter page.
Wake Forest University released a statement asking some students in off-campus housing to voluntarily evacuate. The university also said it is working on long-term plans for those who do not have an alternative place to go.
The Forsyth Correctional Center is also included in the evacuation area.
Winston-Salem officials said a shelter has been set up at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. People who have evacuated should plan to be away from their homes for up to 48 hours.
The fertilizer plant was closed when the fire started and no employees were inside, local media outlets reported.
Grubbs said officials from the Weaver Fertilizer Plant have made no comment about the fire.
No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Source AP
