WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A fire continues to burn at a fertilizer plant in Winston-Salem, sending a plume of smoke over the city and leaving some residents unable to return to their home.
Before the explosion threat decreased, officials said the blaze could have led to “potentially the largest explosion in U.S. history.”
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The fire started Monday evening at the Weaver Fertilizer Plant on Cherry Street near the campus of Wake Forest University. Winston-Salem Fire Chief Trey Mayo said there are 600 tons of ammonium nitrate at the site, which is a component of fertilizer that can be explosive.
The city reduced its evacuation order to within 660 feet of the plant at 8 p.m. Thursday. The city had asked anyone within a mile of the fire to evacuate.
There is no timetable yet on when residents will be cleared to return.
Mayo says his crews are continuing to work outside the one-mile safety perimeter established around the site.
Officials say the air quality in the area could also be dangerous for people with lung conditions. The smoke, Mayo said, smells similar to spent fireworks, and an environmental agency is assisting.
Important details on the blaze and its impacts from the week are listed below.