Fertilizer plant fire in North Carolina continues to burn for second day, threat of explosion remains

Thousands of people living within a mile of a burning fertilizer plant in North Carolina remained under threat for a second straight day, with the potential for chemical explosions still looming.

An uncontrolled fire continued to rage at the Winston Weaver Company fertilizer plant in Winston-Salem almost 48 hours after it was initially reported to the fire department late Monday evening. An estimated 6,500 people were encouraged to evacuate after dangerous conditions forced first responders to retreat from the flames.

Many residents remained away from their homes on Wednesday as officials warned the danger has not yet passed. Flames could still be seen shooting out of the building late into the morning and a haze hung over most of Winston-Salem, a city of about 250,000.

Fire Chief William “Trey” Mayo cited the massive amount of potentially explosive chemicals at the plant as a major concern, including the 500 tons of ammonium nitrate in a storage building and another 100 tons in a rail car next to the building. He added that there is an additional 5,000 tons of finished fertilizer stored at the plant.

City officials said during a press conference early Wednesday that there “has been no improvement on scene, conditions have not improved,”

“The potential for an explosion is still there,” a spokesperson told WXII.

Air quality also remained an issue for many residents, though levels of nitrous oxide were “low enough to not be concerning,” the fire chief said, urging everyone in the region to keep their windows closed.

First responders have vowed to battle back the blaze, but have repeatedly said it would take time to contain the huge fire given its volatility.

No injuries have been reported.