Shortly after 12:30 p.m. on Feb 22, firefighters from the Battleboro, N.C. Fire Department were dispatched to the Eastern Compost Company on Battleboro-Leggett Road for a reported vehicle fire.
As firefighters left the stationm they could see a large column of smoke in the sky.
They were confronted with a huge wood chipper - that was used for grinding up pallets into big mulch piles - heavily involved, along with huge piles of wooden pallets.
Battleboro Assistant Fire Chief James Hardee III requested an additional company from the Whitakers Fire Department.
There were no local fire hydrants in the area and water had to be trucked in. Battleboro led off with a 1 3/4 - inch water line and began attacking the blaze. Whitakers Fire Department established a water supply.
There was a strong wind blowing from the north, which actually helped the firefighters by keeping the fire from spreading to a large three-story pile of mulch.
Three water lines were now working and firefighters were able to contain the blaze in 30 minutes. The chipper was totally destroyed along with hundreds of wooden pallets.
The Nash County EMS, along with West Edgecombe EMS, were on the scene. No injuries were reported.
