No environmental damage from fire at fertilizer plant; three firefighters recovering

RAVENEL — Sunday's fire at a fertilizer warehouse left no obvious environmental damage to outlying areas, though state officials asked firefighters not to spray too much water on the smoldering debris to limit potential problems from runoff.

Fire crews were letting the debris burn itself out today at the Carolina Eastern-Molony plant on S.C. Highway 165.

"There shouldn't be any hazard in any smoke that may be remaining," said Thom Berry, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control media relations director. "We don't believe that it's going to be a problem."

St. Paul's firefighters had responded to a report of the warehouse being engulfed in flames around 4 p.m. Dozens of firefighters battled the flames for about four hours. Authorities cautioned residents to stay indoors during that time.

The State Law Enforcement Division was investigating the cause.

The burning remnants of the plant prevented investigators from taking a close look at the scene on Monday, St. Paul's Fire Chief Doc Matthews said. It could be another few days before the embers die down enough for them to investigate further, Matthews said.

Three firefighters suffered from heat exhaustion and related conditions while battling the flames. Matthews said one was treated at the scene for heat exhaustion while another was taken to a hospital and released. A third firefighter was expected to be released from an area hospital Monday after suffering complications from a related condition.

DHEC officials checked the area for signs of hazardous runoff and found none, Berry said. The company is required submit a plan to clean up the site "as soon as possible," he said, though there was no definite timetable. DHEC has to approve the plan.

Reach Noah Haglund at 937-5550 or nhaglund@postandcourier.com