WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Weaver Fertilizer Plant is still blocked off and crews continue working on the site after it went up in flames more than two weeks ago.
The area surrounding the plant was deemed unsafe because of the amount of ammonium nitrate in one of the rail cars. People who lived within one mile of the plant were asked to evacuate for a couple of days.
WFMY spoke to the first crew that went back on the scene to make sure it was safe enough for other crews to come back as well.
Winston-Salem Hazmat Technicians, Elrich Mabry, and Victor Taylor were seen standing on top of a rail car that held nearly a hundred tons of ammonium nitrate.
“Walking up to the rail car was more like a, it finally hit that it was a real situation happening and once we got on top, that moment and everything kind of went silent so there was no more thinking at that point just doing,” said Taylor, who has been a firefighter for five years and a hazmat technician for 6 months.
An extremely dangerous situation to be in, the Weaver Fertilizer Plant could've exploded at any given moment. Captain Chad Boger said it was very hazardous because they didn't know how much fire had damaged the rain car.
The Hazmat crew risked their lives to make sure it was safe enough for other crews to get back on the site and continue to fight the fire.
Hazmat Technician Mabry has been a firefighter for sixteen years and on the hazmat team for two years. He said when he was told they were going to the rail car, he had to put his "big boy shoes on."
After inspecting the rail car for a smell, leak, or damage to the car itself, they determined that it was safe for others to be on the property.
Ryan Turner was also a part of the first crew to go back. He said multiple people helped in this process to make sure it was safe.
As far as what will happen to the remaining ammonium nitrate that did not burn up during the fire, Winston-Salem Fire Department said that is up to Weaver.