Nutrien Ltd. reported this week that it is reviewing damage and any inventory losses at a Nutrien Ag Solutions warehouse in in South Hill, Va., after a woman on July 6 crashed her car into the structure and hit a propane tank inside, causing the tank to rupture and shoot flames that ultimately consumed the facility.
Nutrien told Bloomberg in an emailed statement that it is working with the local fire department, third-party remediation experts, and state and federal agencies as they investigate the cause of the accident and the extent of damage.
Nutrien employs a staff of nearly 24 at the site, according to local news reports, but no employees were in the facility at 2 p.m. when the accident took place. The woman, later identified as 41-year-old Jennifer Fields, was airlifted to a hospital where she died from burn injuries.
More than 150 firefighters from the South Hill Volunteer Fire Department and at least eight other agencies responded to the fire, and 15 firefighters were reportedly treated at VCU Community Memorial Hospital for injuries related to chemical and fire exposure, heat exhaustion, and minor scrapes and burns, local news outlets reported.
A temporary evacuation order was given for residents and businesses within a half-mile radius of the fire from 3 p.m. on July 6 until 12:30 p.m. on July 7, while voluntary evacuations and shelter-in-place orders were reportedly in effect for a two-mile radius. The fire was fully contained by 8 p.m., but crews stayed on the scene overnight to monitor hot spots and air quality.
The warehouse was completely destroyed in the blaze, but Nutrien said it will rely on its broader retail network to minimize any disruption in the supply of farm inputs to growers in the region.