WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - A fire raging at a fertilizer plant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, forced the evacuation of thousands of people early Tuesday amid fears that chemicals at the facility could cause a large explosion.
The fire was reported at about 8:20 p.m. Monday at the Weaver Fertilizer Plant on the north side of the city, according to FOX 8.
Officials later asked residents located within a one-mile radius of the site to leave their homes. The evacuation area included about 6,500 people in 2,500 homes, the Winston-Salem Fire Department said."There is still a potential for explosion," Winston-Salem Battalion Chief Patrick Grubbs warned early Tuesday.
Flames are seen shooting from the Weaver Fertilizer Plant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Feb. 1, 2022. (Credit: WFMY-TV) Videos from the scene showed flames and thick plumes of smoke shooting from the plant, as fire trucks surrounded the building.