Updated October 28, 2024 Author Rose Keefe
Incident Date: February 28, 2022
Location City: Sunnyside, Washington (USA)
Address: 1101 Midvale Road, 98944
Type: Potential Dust Fire
Fuel: Sulphur Dust
Industry: Fertilizer Products (Agriculture)
Equipment: Unknown
Company: Nutrien Ag Solutions
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to its website, Nutrien Ag Solutions is the retail division of Nutrien® Ltd., the world’s largest crop inputs company. The company has an extensive product line that includes seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and nutritional supplements. More than 1.7 million pounds of sulphur was at the location incident.
Incident Description:
On February 28, 2022, YaktriNews reported a fire broke out at Nutrien Ag Solutions, a fertilizer plant in Sunnyside, Washington. The fire resulted in more than 1.7 million pounds of sulfur burning, releasing hazardous smoke that spread to nearby areas. Firefighters and crews were concerned and announced a shelter in place with their doors and windows shut and air conditioners and heating systems off, was issued at first. The shelter in place extended to local schools.
When the fire broke out at the fertilizer plant in Sunnyside, WA, the fire and the blaze, burned down one building at the fertilizer plant and consumed hazardous materials including 1.7 million pounds of sulphur burned, that afternoon. Winds caused smoke to spread into the city, resulting in 18 homes being evacuated. Yakima Valley Emergency Management and firefighters issued an evacuation order for anyone within a half mile of the facility, and the blaze.
Zillah, Granger, Sunnyside, Grandview, Yakima County Fire District No. 5, Toppenish, Prosser, and West Benton Fire & Rescue firefighters all responded through mutual aid agreements.
The Sunnyside City, Fire Chief said that the bulk of the fire blaze, at the fertilizer plant in Sunnyside was extinguished, but crews were turning their attention to possibly hazardous runoff.
More than 1.7 million pounds of sulphur burned, but fire officials were more concerned with the hazardous ammonium sulphate. During the early stages of the fire, 236,000 lbs of the substance, which authorities considered the most dangerous chemical in the plant, were burned. After the incident, Yakima Valley Emergency Management announced that the evacuation order was lifted for people living within half a mile of the Nutrien Ag Solutions, fertilizer plant in Sunnyside.
No injuries were reported at the plant. The cause of the fire blaze is under investigation by the firefighters.
Sources:
YaktriNews
