WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — For nearly three days, a fertilizer plant has been on fire in Winston-Salem. Families and businesses within a mile of North Cherry Street have been evacuated as the threat of explosions loom.
The cause of the fire at Winston Weaver Fertilizer Company and the extent and cost of the damage has yet to be determined.
The plant has been in Winston-Salem for more than 80 years and employs 36 people. It supplies fertilizer to small and large-scale farmers.
When the plant was built in 1940, where it is located was considered out of town, but with so much growth over the years, the city now surrounds the plant.
WFMY News 2 reporter Jenna Kurzyna spoke Thursday with Winston Weaver's spokesperson Andrew Carroll. He said when he first got news of the fire he thought, “How big is it?” When he heard the plant was gone, he said his heart sank.
“Even now, it hasn't really fully set in how bad the loss is, and when you look at the plant and you see it from the drones, it breaks my heart,” Carroll said. “We've had employees crying. We've had customers call and it's just a tough loss.”
He said it dawned on him how much of a family the community is when the company started getting calls from customers, people in the city and beyond asking what they could do to help.
“That's when we really started to look at how much of a family and how much of an impact we made here,” Carroll said. “It's been tough. It's been a tough three days.”
Carrol said the company met with all of its employees Thursday and will pay each of them for a month and help them get new jobs. He said some have already been placed in new employment similar to Winston Weaver.
Carroll said he is glad no one was hurt or killed and now the company can focus on the community and those who have been displaced. The company is donating $100,00 to help those affected by the fire, Carroll said.