Jan. 23--NEW ALBANY -- Officials are still trying to determine the cause of an explosion that destroyed a biodiesel plant in north Union County on Wednesday.
A site survey team has been sent on foot to the explosion site off Highway 15. Curt Clayton, of the Union County Emergency Management Agency, said there were aerial photos and video taken of the site, but none of that provided the information officials needed to help determine the cause of the explosion.
The site team will see what's still burning at the spot where JNS Biofuel stood before a fire led to a giant explosion around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. Fire crews let the fire burn, and there were two subsequent explosions Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.
Clayton said he was glad the site team wasn't sent in earlier because of those explosions. The site team will determine how much fuel remains on the scene and what the next step will be regarding clean-up.
The plant produced biofuel made from methanol and chicken fat. Two employees were on duty Wednesday when a fire broke out, and they evacuated the premises prior to the first explosion.
Residents in the area were advised to evacuate Wednesday as crews assessed the possibility of water contamination and tested for hazardous materials. But not everyone packed up. A shelter opened by the American Red Cross had no visitors Wednesday and closed by midnight.
"Unless they come knock and say we have to go, we'll stick around," said Randy Whitehorn, who lives on a road that runs parallel with Highway 15, less than a half-mile from the scene. "We had a deputy come tell us it's a mandatory evacuation."
D.R. Watson, who lives on the same road as Whitehorn, also decided not to evacuate.
"Got in bed around 7 p.m., and then a deputy pulled up to tell me I had to evacuate," Watson said. "I couldn't get to the door in time and he went to the next house, but I called the sheriff's office and told them, 'Tell Jimmy (Edwards) I'm all right but I'm already in bed."
Sandra Torres, of the Red Cross, has been feeding volunteers and clean-up crews at a nearby church since Wednesday morning. She said the Thursday morning explosion rocked the metal building where crews are staging their clean-up efforts.
"Red Cross will stay on scene and provide support as long as needed," Red Cross spokesperson Martha Duvall said.
Officials are expected to give another update today from the explosion site.
Copyright 2014 - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo
