Date: September 26, 2018
Location: Sylvester, Georgia (USA)
Address: 107 Findley Road, 31791
Type: Potential Dust Fire
Fuel: Peanut Dust
Industry: Peanut Processing (Food Processing)
Equipment: No Details
Company: Birdsong Peanuts
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Birdsong Peanuts was established in 1914 as a feed and seed store in Courtland, Virginia. The company started specializing in peanuts in the 1930’s and rapidly expanded. Today, Birdsong Peanuts is headquartered in Suffolk, Virginia, and works with farmers across 11 states to supply peanut product manufacturers. The plant in Sylvester is one of six peanut shelling plants operated by the company in the U.S.
Incident Description:
On September 28, 2018, Powder & Bulk Solids reported a fire at a peanut processing facility in Sylvester, Georgia. When fire crews reached the scene shortly after 5:00 a.m., they found heavy smoke issuing from the 20,000 square-foot warehouse building and peanuts on fire.
According to WXTL, extinguishing operations were set up on both sides of the warehouse. Crews knocked down the side wall of the building where the peanuts were located in an attempt to put out the fire on top of them and two excavators worked to remove peanuts to prevent them from adding to the fire.
Officials ordered both plant workers and those living within a half-mile radius of the facility were forced to evacuate and closed an adjacent highway after aluminum phosphide fumigation tablets stored in a warehouse made contact with water during a rainfall, releasing toxic gas. Yellow smoke could be seen issuing from the building as emergency crews worked to fumigate the site.
No injuries were reported and there was no information about the value of any property damage.
Sources:
Powder & Bulk Solids
WXTL
