Lumberton, N.C.-A Southern States Cooperative corporate team was on the scene early last week along with local investigators looking into the cause of the fire that destroyed the blending facility of the company’s operations here. That part of Southern States was completely destroyed early on June 28, but no one was injured since the plant was closed down for the weekend. Some 22 emergency services agencies responded from Robeson and Bladen counties. Lumberton Fire Chief Mike Cox told the local press that none of these crews were injured, but two firefighters suffered from heat exhaustion. Cox said firefighters had to withhold water and let the building burn because the chemicals inside would have caused an additional hazard. At one point, bright orange flames and thick black smoke could be seen reaching skyward for miles. But the fire never threatened nearby homes or businesses, and there was no ordered evacuation. Cox said the state Division of Air Quality had checked the area surrounding the plant and nearby neighborhoods and gave it a clean bill of health, and no water contamination was detected in hydrology testing. “It was a total loss,” according to Plant Superintendent Robbi Collins. “There is nothing left in the plant that can be used.” Collins said, however, that with some quick rearranging normal operations are continuing. “We have other plants here that are being used. Fortunately we are out of the blending season and we have two other warehouses that we can use for shipping.” He said the biggest loss was the bagging capability, but that part of the operation is being shifted to Southern States’s Chesapeake facility. Fire investigators started probing the ruins to determine the cause of the blaze, and corporate representatives arrived to work with insurers and help plan for clearing away the fire debris.
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