A woman is dead, and more than a dozen firefighters were injured in a fire on Saturday at a fertilizer warehouse in South Hill, Virginia.
According to a preliminary investigation by the South Hill Police Department, the fire started after a woman drove into a Nutrien Ag Solutions facility on West Danville Street and hit a propane tank inside. Authorities said the crash knocked the propane tank 10 feet to 20 feet, and the propane tank began shooting flames "like a flamethrower."
Several employees told WRAL News no one was inside when the fire started because they were given the weekend off for Independence Day. The company said they employ nearly two dozen people.
EMS airlifted the woman to the hospital with burns, and on Sunday, the South Hill Police Chief on Sunday confirmed the woman died from her injuries around 6 p.m. on Saturday.
No one was inside the warehouse at the time of the crash.
Authorities said they don't know what caused the woman to crash into the warehouse, adding they are taking her body to the Medical Examiner's Office and conducting a toxicology test.
Firefighters injured containing the fire at the warehouse
After battling a massive fire at the warehouse, crews stayed up all night Saturday to monitor the fire, putting out hot spots to ensure it doesn't re-start.
At least 15 firefighters were taken to VCU Community Memorial Hospital for injuries related to chemical exposure, heat exhaustion and minor scrapes and burns. Only one remains hospitalized as of Sunday afternoon.
Firefighter Rickie Bowen said it was the largest fire he’d ever seen in his 16-year firefighting career.
"We knew all the chemicals were in it, so it's pretty much just fuel on the fire. It's a big bomb, really," he said. "We could hear the explosions inside the building, which I assume were chemical tanks."
Authorities said crews will remain on the property for several days.
Around 8 p.m., police said the firefighters completely contained the fire with help from several agencies, including fire departments from Warren County.
Smoke briefly showed up on weather radars in the area. Several people called the WRAL Newsroom to report seeing smoke from miles away.
The blaze occurred on a day when heat index values were over 100 degrees in parts of North Carolina and Virginia.
"It contains a lot of fertilizers and chemicals, so I knew right off it wouldn't be an easy fire with the very old warehouse," said Ken Currin, who witnessed the fire. "And with the heat and conditions, it is not a good day for fires."
'No actionable levels of pollutants'
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality said several groups are at the scene, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, monitoring air pollution from the fire.
While the most significant threats were particulate pollution, volatile organic compounds, and carbon monoxide, there are "currently no actionable levels of pollutants" at the site.
"The rain moving through the area now will help suppress any odors and/or pollutants," a spokesperson with Virginia DEQ said.
While DEQ said impacts of air pollutants have been minimal, a South Hill volunteer firefighter said several firefighters are sending their equipment back to the manufacturer due to exposure to dangerous chemicals while fighting the fire at the warehouse.
DEQ remained at the scene on Sunday and is monitoring the impacts to nearby bodies of water from firefighter runoff. According to Virginia DEQ, staff at the scene observed fish mortalities in Dockery Creek and Mountain Creek.
According to Virginia DEQ, a sample of runoff from the facility was collected and transported to the state lab to determine potential contaminants.
"We expect to receive test results possibly as early as tomorrow," the spokesperson said
'I can smell it in my house'
Many homes surround the warehouse, and the South Hill Volunteer Fire Department recommended a voluntary for those living within a half-mile of the fire. Police asked people to avoid the area and take shelter.
Sherry Ross, who lives near the warehouse, said she noticed a strong smell from the chemicals. The fire emitted chemicals and toxins into the air, making things potentially unsafe for neighbors.
"I looked out the backdoor, and I can smell it in my house, and I was like, 'What is that smell,'" Ross said. "I noticed the fire, and somebody messaged me right before I checked it out because they know I live really close, and it was insane."
"It's so scary because something like that doesn't really happen around here too often," Ross said.
Some nearby buildings had heat damage from the fire, while a gray haze hung over the surrounding area as several agencies began assessing the area.
"The fire now is gone, but we all inhaled a lot of chemicals," Brandon Turley said. "Is that going to hurt us? Is it not?"
On X, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said, "We're praying for our first responders who are battling this blaze and all who are impacted by this fire. We're reminded that so many brave Virginians are always on duty. God bless them."
In a statement provided to WRAL News, Nutrien said they have a contingency plan from other retail sites to get customers what they need, and employees would continue their jobs at Nutrien sites.
The company did not elaborate on where the sites would be.
