Evacuated Citizens Can Return To Town

An entire town that evacuated because of a fire in a fertilizer warehouse was allowed to return home Wednesday as fumes that lingered for nearly two days weakened.

“The chiefs all agreed they can control what’s left of the fire, and more importantly they can control the heat below the level at which the fertilizer decomposes,” said Michael Dean of the state Department of Environmental Quality.

The Farmers Export Elevator, as large as a football field, caught fire Tuesday morning and smoldered into the night and the next day, giving off brown and yellow smoke. It was still smoldering Wednesday night. No injuries were reported.

The shed contained 550 tons of chemical fertilizers and 700 tons of cattle feed. Neither the feed nor the fertilizer burned, but they were heated enough to emit fumes that left the air smelling like burnt toast.

There was concern the nitrous oxide in the smoke could cause respiratory problems, but by afternoon the smoke had cleared.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.