Explosions, fire at fertilizer plant force early morning evacuation

by Jane Leonard

MAYSVILLE, KY - Thousands of people living on both sides of the Ohio River were forced from their homes during the pre-dawn hours early in January when a fire was discovered burning through tons of potentially explosive and toxic chemicals at the 25,000 sq. ft. Maysville, KY facility of Cargill, Inc. The plant was not in operation when the blaze broke out at approximately 2:30 a.m.

Maysville Police Department officers Matt Gallenstein and Ken Fuller were first on the scene. Officer Gallenstein proceeded to notify Mason County Disaster and Emergency Services. Asst. Coordinator Steve Zweigert responded and realized the potential severity of the incident due to the 420 tons of ammonium nitrate that were stored in bags in this warehouse. The plant also housed other dangerous herbicides and pesticides, including methyl bromide, paraquat, endosulfan and carbofuran.

At approximately 3:05 a.m., 50 firefighters from nine Mason County area departments and two ambulance services arrived on the scene. Residents within a mile of the Cargill plant were evacuated.

Shortly following this, two explosions occurred inside the facility. These explosions were thought to have been caused by two propane gas tanks used to fuel the forklifts. However, this is just one theory out of several that were considered at the time, says Bob Warner, editor of the Ledger Independent. The sudden explosions caught firemen off guard. The decision was then made by Incident Commander Ken Johnson of the Kentucky State Fire Marshals' office to pull back and let the fire burn itself down rather than to fight it with water or foam. This decision to take a defensive stance was made due to the volatile nature of the chemicals involved and the risk of contamination due to the close proximity of the warehouse to the Ohio River.

Acting Chief Junior Blevins, a volunteer fire fighter with the Orangeburg Fire Dept. was slightly injured by flying debris from the explosions but was treated and released from the emergency room at Columbia Hospital in Maysville. Miraculously, in spite of the volatile nature of the variety of chemicals stored in the plant there were no other injuries.

The fire was also responsible for shutting down the CSX rail line through Maysville and for closing the portion of the Ohio River between Maysville and Manchester, OH, approximately 10 miles.

By 1 p.m. that day the fire had consumed 90% of the Cargill facility. By 3 p.m. the fire had burnt down substantially. Fire companies began spraying a low pressure mist of water over the plant. By 4 p.m. the fire was extinguished, and an hour later the evacuation order was lifted and residents of Maysville and surrounding communities were allowed to return to their homes.

Chemicals Involved in the Cargill Fire Ammonium Nitrate: Best remembered from the Oklahoma City bombing where it comprised part of the deadly mixture. Ammonium nitrate is a white crystalline solid that, when mixed with organic material, creates a blasting agent. One example is ANFO (ammonium nitrate & fuel oil). When heated to decomposition, ammonium nitrate emits highly toxic fumes. It is used as a blasting agent as well as fertilizer. There were 420 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at Cargill.

Methyl Bromide: The most toxic of the five chemicals stored in the warehouse. This pesticide causes major depletion of the ozone layer and is a potential danger to the neurological and reproductive systems of humans and animals that come in contact with it. It is classified as a Category 1 acute toxin. Methyl bromide is used as a soil fumigant and as a pesticide for tomatoes, potatoes and other crops.

Paraquat: A toxic herbicide likened to Agent Orange used in Vietnam. This chemical can produce multisystem organ failure and death if small amounts are ingested. There is no antidote.

Endosulfan: An insecticide used on tobacco and fruit crops. Exposure at high levels can damage the central nervous system.

Carbofuran: A pesticide most commonly used on corn, soybean and potato crops but is also known to have toxic effects on animals.

Monitoring the Effects The dangers from the massive fire and explosions were not the only concerns. Officials were also forced to deal with clouds of smoke coming from the fire. EPA officials from Ohio and Chicago worked together along with Ecology & Environment, a local firm that has an EPA air monitoring contract for this region. An air monitor was established at the Brown-Adams county line.
The primary concern regarding this particular fire was airborne ammonia, potentially very harmful. By 4 p.m. at least 15 samples had been taken in Brown and Adams counties, and no measurable levels of ammonia were found.

At the same time that the air quality was being tested, helicopters were also tracking the path of the clouds of smoke and a strike force from the Coast Guard was monitoring the situation from the river. No elevated levels of ammonia were detected.

TPM, Inc. was hired by Cargill to take care of the cleanup operations. Dikes were erected to prevent contaminated water from spilling into the river. Potentially contaminated water from extinguishment efforts and potentially contaminated surface soil were disposed of in accordance with OSHA guidelines.

Aftermath Incident Commander Ken Johnson reports that the fire appeared to have started near an elevator shaft where there were motors and electronic equipment stored. Investigations conducted by the State Fire Marshal's office and other agencies suggested that the fire was accidental but an actual cause was never determined due to the intense heat generated by the fire which destroyed most evidence. Johnson reports that he has no reason to believe the fire was set.

"Multiple agencies worked together in a swift and orderly manner to achieve a common goal"

In reflecting back on how the response was handled by all involved, Johnson feels that overall an excellent job was done. The multiple agencies worked together in a swift and orderly manner to achieve a common goal.

Cargill, the Minneapolis based processor and distributor of agricultural, food, financial and industrial products, accepted full liability for the fire. Almost immediately they set up a hotline to reimburse residents for motel fees and other expenses resulting from the evacuation. There were no EPA violations found at the Maysville plant. Inventory losses alone were said to be approximately $600,000 and total damages were about $2.6 million. Cargill has no plans to rebuild the Maysville facility.