Hazardous Waste Plant Fire in N.C. Forces 17,000 to Evacuate

[Virginian]

Great, I'm headed down there right after work today! Fun!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,218177,00.html

As many as 17,000 residents were asked to evacuate their homes after a hazardous materials fire shot flames some 150 feet into the sky.

Hospital officials said 18 people were sent to emergency rooms after the blaze that began late Thursday in this suburban Raleigh town of about 28,000.

Town manager Bruce Radford said he didn't know what sparked the fire at EQ Industrial Services Inc., a hazardous waste business that housed a variety of volatile chemicals, including chlorine.

When he arrived at the scene, Radford said, a chlorine cloud rose 50 feet in the air and flames shot three times as high. He estimated there were 20 to 30 explosions at the plant.

The fire jumped the plant site and appeared to have burned four petroleum tanks belonging to another company, said Apex Mayor Keith Weatherly. That likely accounted for the explosions, he said.

Hours after asking almost half the town's resident to evacuate, officials ordered additional evacuations for several hundred more homes when a plume of smoke and chemicals moved. Residents as far as 2 miles away could see the plume or smell the chemicals, officials said.

[TheOldRhino]

No word as of yet if anyone has developed super powers.

[Willowdared]

Where is this in relation to Ducky and the Aiken(sp) crew?

Conalabu?

Who else is from NC?

[K9brando]

It's just outside of Raleigh NC which is in the center of NC. It's still about a good 3 1/2 to 4 hours from Ducky. Not a good situation there. I am about 1 1/2 hours from that location.

[Crimebytes2]

Where is this in relation to Ducky and the Aiken(sp) crew? Conalabu? Who else is from NC?

This was my first thought, too, PDawg. Hope everyone is okay.

[conalabu]

Rain tastes funny. I am fine, all, thank you for the concern. I am about an hour out from Apex. Lesta and Brad are a wee bit closer.

[Ducky]

Con, don't drink the rain! And yeah, it's several hours yet from me. If anyone remembers the train accident almost 2 years ago that released a chlorine gas cloud, THAT was here. But seriously, thanks for your concern!

[lesta311]

I'm on stand by to respond per a mutual aid agreement. Fortunately, we have had some heavy rain which has contained it.

I'm about 30 miles away from it and ,if possible, i'd like to keep it that way.

[K9brando]

Lesta and Brad are a wee bit closer.

Brad and I are the same distance. We are in the same county.