By ED BALDRIDGE
ed.baldridge@newssun.com
FROSTPROOF -- Firefighters from Frostproof and Lake Wales were dispatched to handle a blaze at the Griffin Fertilizer Plant just north of Avon Park on Monday morning.
The call went out at approximately 11:30 a.m. that the plant on 3201 S. Scenic Highway, which handles nitrogenous fertilizer and sometimes pesticides, was on fire.
Three trucks from Frostproof, Polk County tanker and trucks and the high-rise ladder from Lake Wales were dispatched to the scene, but there was no danger of explosion, according to Frostproof Fire Chief Bill Lord.
Lord said that the fire was contained inside the building in two of the huge sludge bins, which are used to hold product during the mixing process.
Other than those working inside the immediate building, Lord said there was no need to evacuate the plant, nor was the public in the immediate area in any danger.
"There was damage to the materials inside, and to the conveyor system. The roof has some damage, but the building is not a total loss," Lord said.
The fire was caused by the chemical reaction in the bins, said Lord, as the product was moved from storage to a mixing area.
It took over five hours to put out the fire and to secure the area, Lord said, and the damage was estimated between $75,000 and $100,000.
The recent occurrence is not the first time the plant had caught on fire.
In 2000, a fire at the Frostproof plant forced an evacuation of about 1,100 homes and businesses in the area, according to www.acusafe.com, an Internet resource for safety and risk management.
Friday, December 10, 2010 - www.newssun.com/121010-eb-griffin-fire