Explosion fears remain as N. Carolina fertilizer plant burns

By TOM FOREMAN Jr. and BEN FINLEY
Associated Press

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — An uncontrolled fire at a fertilizer plant has continued to burn in North Carolina. Fire officials in the city of Winston-Salem said the potential for an explosion had not gone down on Wednesday afternoon. They also said they couldn’t predict when the blaze might go out. And they didn’t know how many people have actually complied with calls to evacuate an area that includes 2,500 homes. The fire is at the Winston Weaver Company fertilizer plant on the north side of the city. The blaze began Monday night and shot bright orange flames into the sky. An estimated 500 tons of combustible ammonium nitrate were housed at the plant.