Fertilizer explosion risk ‘greatly diminished,’ chief says

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — A fire chief says the explosion threat from a fire at a North Carolina fertilizer plant has “greatly diminished” now that much of a combustible chemical has burned off and firefighters have returned to the site to spray down what’s left. The Winston-Salem Fire Department tweeted that the voluntary evacuation for a 1-mile radius around the plant would be reduced to 660 feet Thursday evening. Winston-Salem Fire Chief Trey Mayo said that with the aid of experts on the fertilizer ingredient ammonium nitrate, officials determined it was safe for firefighters to get close enough to set up more unmanned sprayers early Thursday at the site.