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Tenn. Chemical Fire Forces Evacuations

Posted on: Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 12:00 CDT

HUMBOLDT, Tenn. - Fire broke out in a chemical storage facility Wednesday, forcing as many 700 people to evacuate homes and businesses in the area, officials said.

Homes downwind from the fire were evacuated because of the smoke, and workers at nearby manufacturing plants were told to leave as a precaution, Mayor Allen Barker said. No injuries were immediately reported.

The fire was at the Helena Chemical Co. warehouse and office in Humboldt, a West Tennessee town of about 9,500 residents 15 miles northwest of Jackson.

Helena Chemical makes a variety of crop protection products, agricultural chemicals, seed, fertilizer and related products, according to the company's Web site. Officials with the Collierville-based company issued a news release saying they believe the fire was started by lightning.

The warehouse was still burning at midday. Firefighters could not use water because of the chemicals in the building so they were waiting for it to burn down until they can apply foam, Barker said.

"Presently the smoke is blowing in a northwesterly direction, away from where it can cause harm," the mayor said. "The evacuations are precautionary."

Company officials said the facility includes an office for sales people as well as the warehouse holding products for sale to area farms. However, the fire started before business hours and no one was in the building at the time of the fire, they said.

Fire Department dispatcher Derrick Seymour the fire was reported around 6 a.m. and firefighters found the building engulfed in flames.

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On the Net:

Helena Chemical: http://www.helenachemical.com/

Source: Associated Press/AP Online

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