Massive fire burns fertilizer plant in Hartsville

Firefighters from at least three counties and close to a dozen departments are still working on the hot spots of the fire at a fertilizer plant that caught fire and exploded just before 7 p.m. Monday.

The Hartsville Rainbow Operations plant, also known as the Royster-Clark plant, is part of agricultural services conglomerate Agrium, manufactures Rainbow NPK fertilizer and is capable of making up to 78,400 tons a year, according to the company’s website.

Hartsville Mayor Mel Pennington said the factory employed about 60 people.

Officials at Monday night's press conference said the fire started at 6:47 p.m., and officials activated state firefighter system to bring mutual aid from across state.

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control are on the scene monitoring air quality and US Environmental Protection Agency officials are on their way from Atlanta, officials said.

There were seven people in the plant when the fire started, officials said.

After the initial fire and explosions, flames quickly spread through surrounding woods, according to reports. The fire brigade from nearby Sonoco Products Co. was put on alert to protect its plant.

As of 9:16 p.m., firefighters reported the Sonoco plant was shut down and evacuated with just the fire brigade on site, according to broadcast information.

“As we were coming down the hill, you could see the orange and the smoke and we finally got here and it was just billows of smoke and the fire was amazingly huge, it was huge,” Hartsville resident Debbie Kelley said.

There have been no reported injuries so far. A spokesman for Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center in Hartsville said the emergency room is fully staffed but one from the scene came in for treatment.

Hazardous materials and fumes from the fire are the prime concern facing city officials.

“Obviously because of the haz-mat concerns, we’ve got fire units from all across the Pee Dee area and law enforcement (responding),” Hartsville Police Lt. Brian Rudick said.

“Because of the possibility of shifting winds, we’ve closed down a large area, trying to keep traffic to a minimum in and around the scene itself.

“We can’t control the wind. Right now it appears that it’s all gonna be from one direction, but that can shift at anytime so we’re just preparing,” he said.

Darlington County Sheriff’s Capt. Andy Locklair said neighborhoods along Society Avenue and Patrick Highway were being evacuated in a voluntary effort.

Residents in the area are being allowed to leave, but no one is being allowed back into the area, Locklair said. The sheriff’s office called in extra shifts to assist with traffic control.

Multiple streets in and around the plant are closed. Firefighters, in addition to using the town’s hydrants, are drafting out of several locations from Prestwood Lake, according to broadcast reports from the scene.

Images from the scene show flames towering above aerial trucks fighting the blaze.

Jason Hopkins reported on WBTW News13’s Facebook page that a large ball of smoke lit by fire was visible and loud explosions could be heard from a distance.

“We came on up here to find out what was going on and we heard a couple of really bad explosions and the sky was all orange and stuff ... it was pretty scary,” Hartsville resident Herbie Kelley said. “I’ve heard a lot of explosions and this sounded like big propane tanks. It was pretty bad.”

Officials at the scene have called for haz-mat response, according to broadcast traffic.

The Pee Dee Chapter of the American Red Cross is opening an evacuation shelter at the Coach T.B. Thomas Sports Center on Washington Street, executive director Linda Boone-Smith said. Crews from Lake Robinson Rescue Squad are staffing the center, according to broadcast traffic.

In all, about 60 people sheltered at the center, officials said.

“I’m happy that everybody got out and hopefully is safe and with their families at home and I hope we'll be able to recuperate. Hartsville is a strong city and we’ll be able to come back from this with no problems at all,” Debbie Kelley said.

In addition to Hartsville Fire Department personnel, units from Sonoco’s fire brigade, Darlington, Darlington County, Florence, West Florence, Windy Hill, Howe Springs, Lee County and Alligator Rural fire departments are either fighting the fire or standing by for additional response within the city

By 8 p.m., according to witnesses, not much remained of the plant.

“There’s only one part of it that’s basically standing now,” Hartsville resident Dave Bailey said. “Still occasional explosions going on.”