CONEWAGO TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The Miller Chemical and Fertilizer complex in Conewago Township, Adams County is a "total loss" after a fire ripped through its buildings early Monday morning.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Pennsylvania fire marshal. No one was inside the building at the time the fire started and no injuries occurred while fighting the fire. One fire police officer was injured late Monday while directing traffic, according to Southeastern Adams Volunteer Emergency Services (SAVES). He was transported to a nearby hospital and is in good condition. The building has been completely destroyed.
Drinking water in the area is believed to be safe, according to Adams County Emergency Services.
Emergency responders were called to Miller Chemical, 120 Radio Road, at approximately 3:40 a.m. in response to a fire alarm. After fighting the fire throughout the morning, responders then allowed the fire to continue under control for several hours. There was a potential risk posed by water runoff from firefighting activities, according to the John Eline, Director of Emergency Services for Adams County.
"It was one of the largest fires I've ever seen," he said.
In an effort to combat the issue of potentially flooding water, responders constructed a man-made retention pond and brought in vacuum trucks to remove water from the pond. The pond also served to capture any potentially harmful water which may have been infected by chemicals from inside the plant.
According to SAVES Fire Chief Tom Lawrence, all chemicals inside the complex were from fertilizers. Air testing conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection throughout the day found no toxic chemicals released by the fire.
While firefighters attacked the flames, fire officials urged residents within one mile of Miller Chemical to remain indoors and close their air conditioning vents. They also recommended businesses remain closed as a precautionary measure. The shelter advisory was lifted at approximately 3 p.m.
Many neighbors living along bordering High Street spent Monday outside their homes, watching black smoke billow out of the complex. Some had been awake since 3:30 a.m. when firetrucks roared down a "usually quiet street" to find Miller Chemical engulfed in flames. Barrels of fertilizer inside the aluminum building began to explode to the extraordinary heat.
"The explosions kept coming for a good two and a half to three hours," said Daniel Brown, whose home is closest to the complex. "The closest thing I could describe it to would be a 'Grand Finale' of a 4th of July fireworks show."
Greg Zeigler, who lives across the street, described the sound of constant explosions "like a howitzer the way they were popping."
"I've never seen anything like this before," he said.
As the afternoon progressed, fire officials' main concern became extinguishing the flames inside the building before any severe weather. The threat of heavy rain would have created more smoke, Eline said, and fire crews and residents were fortunate smoke from the complex was blowing away from residential areas.
"It's not that there's any toxic materials in the smoke itself," Eline said. "It's just that it's harmful."
Crews began actively fighting the fire again around 2 p.m. It was controlled approximately an hour later.