EPA: No Air Pollution Concerns after Massive GA Chemical Plant Fire

Michael Hall

The Brunswick News, Ga.

(TNS)

Apr. 17—The Environmental Protection Agency said Sunday there was no cause for public concern about air pollution from the fire at Pinova on Saturday that prompted an evacuation order around the facility and a shelter-in-place order on St. Simons Island.

The Glynn County Emergency Management Agency said in a statement on Sunday afternoon that the EPA distributed seven air monitors around the perimeter of the polyterpene resin plant that measured air quality overnight Saturday. Wind shifts helped move the smoke plume and kept any potentially hazardous smoke from the fire from settling in the area, the release said.

Brunswick firefighters were still on scene Sunday spraying hot spots from a ladder truck onto the charred remains of parts of the plant at 2801 Cook Street in Brunswick as three investigators from the State Fire Marshall's office conducted interviews and inspected the area. The location was set to be released back to Pinova once the inspection was complete, the release said.

"Damage to the plant included some structures, but chemical tanks remained intact," The release said.

The cause of the massive fire that sent smoke billowing over the city and across the marsh to St. Simons Island was still under investigation on Sunday, the release said. The fire was contained to one operational area of the plant, which had plant officials mulling options on Sunday on what to do once the scene of the blaze is made available to them again following the inspections and investigation, the release said.

The fire prompted Brunswick Mayor Cosby Johnson to declare a state of emergency in the city, which opened the door for an evacuation notice on Saturday for everyone within a half-mile of the plant. That order followed a shelter-in-place order that was issued earlier on Saturday for everyone within a mile of the facility and for everyone north of the airport on St. Simons Island. Winds carried the heavy black smoke from the fire across the marshes and over the island.

The evacuation order and the shelter-in-place order were lifted around 10 p.m. on Saturday after multiple airdrops and firefighting foam was put in place to help contain the blaze.

Larry Blash stood at the fence around the border of Pinova on Tillman Avenue Sunday morning with a friend, watching a ladder truck spraying water from above on hot spots and the remains of a burned building. The weather was mild and the conditions were pleasant, a quite different scenario from the previous night.

"It was kind of scary to see that fire rising really high yesterday," Blash said.

He lives within the half-mile evacuation area but chose instead on Saturday night to stay inside his house.

"I was trying to watch which way the smoke was blowing," Blash said.

After working at the Pinova plant, formerly called Hercules, for decades before retiring, Blash was well aware of how dangerous the fire could become.

"I know those possibilities," Blash said.

He was thankful to see the facility mostly quiet on Sunday and that the firefighters were able to successfully extinguish the blaze.

The fire first ignited around sunrise Saturday and sent a black cloud of smoke over the St. Simons Sound and the southern tip of St. Simons Island before firefighters knocked it down. The blaze sparked again at around 2 p.m. on Saturday. This time possibly burning chemicals used at the plant.

A temporary shelter was set up by the American Red Cross at Howard Coffin Park while the evacuation order was in place. Around 30 people stayed overnight at the shelter, the release said.

The emergency declaration was lifted at around 8 a.m. on Sunday.

"I am so proud of our first responder community," Brunswick Fire Chief Tim White said. "This was a mutual aid operation. We had every resource on hand and available to us. The response was fast, and I cannot say enough about this community."

Businesses in the community stepped up to help the first responders. The Glynn County Sheriff's Office said in a post on social media that Fox's Pizza in downtown Brunswick donated enough food to feed 60 first responders and Winn Dixie at Lanier Plaza provided water at the command center.

The mutual aid to the fire was substantial and included Glynn County Fire and Rescue, the Jekyll Island Fire Department, and fire departments from Jacksonville, Savannah, Waynesboro, Camden County, Jesup and Bryan County. The response also included emergency management agencies from Glynn County, Effingham County, Wayne County and the state. Georgia Forestry also contributed with an airdrop over the plant.

The Brunswick City Police Department, Glynn County Police Department, Glynn County Sheriff's Office and Georgia State Patrol were also on hand to facilitate traffic control, emergency vehicle escorts and patrols for safety.

Only two injuries were reported during the event. Both were minor burns treated by paramedics onsite.

Pinova processes specialty rosin and polyterpene resin from pine stumps. The resin is used in numerous applications including fragrances and food products like chewing gum, sports drinks and makeup as well as tapes and road-paving materials. Pinova is a subsidiary of DRT, an international company specializing in plant-based raw materials.

Terpene Resin is a hydrocarbon material and therefore is highly flammable.

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