KERNERSVILLE, N.C. — A year ago, the Winston-Salem weaver fertilizer plant caught fire forcing thousands to evacuate the area.
Winston-Salem Fire Chief Trey Mayo said crews estimated over 500 tons of a highly explosive chemical sat inside the plant.
We immediately sent a crew that way to get more information.
WFMY News 2's Amber Lake was the first from our team to get over to the fire. She talked to people Tuesday about their experience one year ago.
This time last year, the weaver fertilizer plant was up in flames and we get couldn't within a mile of the fire.
That's because the threat of an explosion was very serious.
Now, the plant is completely leveled and people are reflecting on what happened.
"It was like who see smoke then you see the fire," Artansy Hailey Jr., the owner of a dump truck service said.
The area that used to be where the weaver fertilizer plant in Winston Salem sat.. looked a lot different.
"It took every dime and cent that I ever saved or anybody ever helped me with to build it and to know that it can be gone in the flash it just wasn't a great thing to think about," Zaels florist Owner, Tarreytont Carson said.
Zaels florist sits right by where the plant used to be. They weren't able to get back into their store for two weeks, costing them a lot in revenue.
Businesses like Hailey Junior hauling were asked to step in and help with fire relief efforts.
"Where they contact me for a runoff with a water runoff they wanted me to haul some gravel in there so they can stop the water runoff from going into the streams and lakes in the area," Hailey Jr said.
After spending over 14 hours on the property, Hailey Hauling was able to help keep contaminates out of rivers around the area.
"I'm glad I have that in the community because I know they had problems with the ash with a drink of water. I hope a year later date to sit in Winston-Salem take care of all the people in the community and the surrounding areas and help them out they have them get back to some kind of normalcy," Hailey Jr. continued.
Hailey said they look forward to further the efforts they need to take care of their community.
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