A fire that started at the Winston Weaver Co. fertilizer plant in Winston-Salem, NC has lead to an evacuation of more than 6,000 people. Firefighters initially fought the fire for two hours before it spread to nearby rail cars that contained ammonium nitrate. At that time the fire department pulled back and issued an evacuation order.
The main concern at this time is a potential ammonium nitrate explosion at the plant. Firefighters have gone door-to-door evacuating local residents and businesses. Around 200 inmates from a nearby prison have also been evacuated.
The Winston-Salem Fire Department Battalion Chief, Patrick Grubbs, said “Right now, the fire is still active, and there’s still potential for explosion. We’re asking all the citizens to evacuate the area for a 1-mile radius around it. We do not know the full extent of the time we’ll be here. It will not be anytime soon that we’ll be leaving.” The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
6,000 urged to evacuate as North Carolina fertilizer plant fire threatens an ammonium nitrate explosion
