WINSTON-SALEM (N.C.) The fire department claimed it used more that 4.1 million gallons to fight the fire that decimated a fertilizer plant. The plant burned for days while firefighters stood by, worried that chemicals at its fertilizer plant could ignite and cause an explosion.
From the Winston Weaver site, arid smoke rose. The smoke was so intense that the air was barely breathable when it was at its worst. Federal and state officials quickly moved to Winston-Salem in order to monitor the air quality and determine what chemicals people were inhaling.
After the fire department brought down the flames, the worst smoke was quickly extinguished. A fire this large can have a negative impact on the environment in many ways. There’s also the issue of those 4,000,000 gallons.
Increased nutrients in the water can have negative impacts on wildlife and humans. Yadkin Riverkeeper Edgar Miller said that there are certain benefits to increasing harmful algal blooms. Algal blooms like these can kill fish and make people and animals sick.
Ammonium Nitrate was the main concern as the plant burned in Winston-Salem. The chemical was estimated to have been 600 tons in the area, which could have caused a huge explosion.
The Yadkin River, downstream from the fires, is now being affected by concerns about ammonium nitrate as well as other fertilizer ingredients.
Miller, whose job he said is to advocate for the Yadkin River and protect it, said that state environmental officials have been testing creeks and rivers. They’ve already found elevated levels for the chemicals used to make fertilizer.
He said that the results were not encouraging.
The Yadkin River flows through North Carolina and connects to the Pee Dee river that flows through South Carolina, and out to the Atlantic Ocean. (Photo: Charles Duncan)
Protecting the creeks
Winston-Salem’s Fire Chief Trey Mayo says that between 6:45 p.m. Sunday night and 8 p.m. Monday, his crews poured 600,000 gallons water on the burning fertilizer plants. After realizing the dangers of the chemicals, firefighters pulled back one mile from the fire.
After some rain overnight, firefighters were able to return to fighting the plant’s fire on Wednesday.
To try and stop pollution from escaping, the city used bulldozers to construct an earthen mound around the site.
Minor Barnette, director of Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection, stated that there was initially some unavoidable runoff and that the water was contaminated.
He said that the city brought in 20,000 gallon tanks to pump the water off the site. They were about the same size as a flatbed truck. There were 28 tanks in the city, which gave crews enough space for about half a million gallons of contaminated water to be transported away to be treated.
Barnette stated that it was a deliberate and successful effort to capture the water and collect it, rather than letting it run into the stream.
He said that as long as the site is exposed to rain, there is the possibility of additional contaminated water.
Crews were still working to clean up the factory and chemicals, which was still smoldering this week. The large berm on the plant’s hillside is still there to catch runoff.
Some of the runoff was contained by the fire department. Miller, Yadkin Riverkeeper, said that they constructed berms and brought tanker trucks in to haul the water off.
He acknowledged that we applauded them for their efforts. Clearly, the first few hours of their journey, when they didn’t know what they were doing, was a learning curve. Those numbers are now starting to show.
He said that it will be interesting to observe how the numbers change over the coming days. Miller said that if chemicals are still being absorbed into the river and levels remain high, he would be more concerned with long-term consequences.
The city issued a warning to people about pollution from the fire, advising them not to fish or get in the water. The advisory was lifted by the city on Thursday.
But the chemicals will flow out of the creek and head downstream.
Yadkin Riverkeeper Edgar Miller
The Yadkin River basin
The water treatment plant for Davidson County is located approximately 45 minutes south of the fertilizer factory.
U.S. Route 64 runs high above the Yadkin River. The concrete pilings of the bridges are being piled up by trees washed downstream. There is a small launch for a canoe, with steps that lead down to the swift-moving stream.
Miller explained that this is where the treatment plant draws water to provide water for approximately 60,000 people.
We are concerned because the lake system and river system are already overburdened by nutrients. We have already seen a lot more harmful algae blooms on the lakes. This is why this is not good, he stated.
The Yadkin River flows through Winston-Salem, through North Carolina, to join the PeeDee River in South Carolina. It then flows through South Carolina to reach the Atlantic.
These nutrients become less effective over time. He explained that the nutrients are flushed through High Rock Lake, then into Badin Reservoir and Tuckertown Reservoir. High Rock Lake is located between Lexington and Salisbury in North Carolina. It then flows into the reservoir, Uwharrie National Forest.
Algae has already begun to thrive in the Yadkin’s reservoirs and lakes, thanks to runoff from sewage treatment and fertilizers.
Miller said Tuckertown Reservoir has coverage ranging from 70 to 75%. This black-mat algae is just fed by these nutrients.
Miller stated that if the company can contain all chemicals at the Winston-Salem fertilizer plant site, Miller is not concerned about the long-term effects.
Miller said that the river is subject to a lot of abuse, but it has a tendency to overcome it. It is a resilient system in general.
