Thousands evacuated after chemical fire By WILLIAM L. HOLMES, Associated Press Writer
33 minutes ago



APEX, N.C. - As many as 17,000 residents were asked to evacuate early Friday as firefighters waited for daylight to battle a hazardous materials fire that shot flames some 150 feet into the sky.


Hospital officials said 18 people were sent to emergency rooms after the blaze that began late Thursday in this suburban Raleigh town.

Town manager Bruce Radford said he didn't know what sparked the fire, which started around 10 p.m. at Environmental Quality Co.

When he arrived at the scene, Radford said, a chlorine cloud rose 50 feet in the air and flames shot three times as high. He estimated there were 20 to 30 explosions inside the plant.

The fire jumped the chemical plant site and appeared to have burned four petroleum tanks belonging to another company, said Mayor Keith Weatherly. That likely accounted for the explosions, he said.

Hours after asking almost half the town's resident to evacuate, officials ordered additional evacuations for several hundred more homes when a plume of smoke and chemicals moved. Residents as far as 2 miles away could see the plume or smell the chemicals, officials said.

Radford said firefighters

scary! I hope the people don't get sick from the fumes.

There have actually been very few people sick (so far).

There was a major explosion about 10 or 10:15 pm last night.

My house is 5 miles east of the explosion.

They have some 300 fire fighters on the scene. There is a plume of toxic gas (that I'm hoping doesn't move east).

Some schools are closed for students - and are opened as shelters.

They have evacuated some 17000 people (families) from their homes. What a miserable night it's been for them.

I wish they'd close my kids school... it's 2+1/2 miles from the fire. They are letting it burn out so that the chemicals will dissipate.

Right now the winds are to be North to South... which keeps my children's school out of the toxins... but there is a HS that'll be in it's way... it's raining... I hope it can dissipate faster than they think.

We had a teacher conference at 8:15...and dropped the boys off at the bus stop with another parent at 8am.

The bus never came because the bus garage is either in or near the evacuated area ... I'm sure the busses will have to be decontaminated... if they are that close.

(I have really good neighbors! They drove my kids,with their kids, to school.)

what a mess...

The Valero plant in Baytown, Texas had a leak yesterday as well that sent many to the hospital and many people had to evacuate the plant. That is about 20 miles from my house....

The problem washed into the drain and on the crops and into the wells by the rain.