Springfield, Ill.-The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association has advised members that the Nov. 5 fire at the Heritage FS facilities in Piper City should serve as a reminder to make sure local fire authorities are aware of what is stored and what procedures to follow to avoid unnecessary contamination under similar conditions. Heritage, an IFCA member, lost critical portions of its operations in the fire, which continued to smolder hours after it was put out. IFCA reported that the stainless steel storage tanks remained intact despite the intense heat, as did the containment structure. The local fire department used some water, which is not always the best choice when chemicals are involved since water mixes with fire residues from packaged goods and dry fertilizer. This was likely the reason the site continued to smolder into the evening though the fire was put out early in the day. A state EPA team was brought in to check on air quality. However, IFCA officials noted, the management at the plant did a fine job handling the situation to minimize off-site contamination. “It is always preferable to let an agrichemical facility burn rather than apply water if it can be avoided,” they noted. “Even if this can’t be avoided due to other circumstances, educating your emergency responders is vital to decrease the chances of unnecessary off-site contamination and cleanup costs.”
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