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Explosion Destroys BioFuel Plant
by Jennifer Clendenion
8/20/08
A local business was destroyed on Friday after an explosion caused a massive fire. Decatur County E911 received a call at 6:47 a.m. reporting that the BioFuel of Tennessee plant on Blunt Lane was on fire. Bath Springs Fire Chief Melvin Brasher said that the building was fully engulfed in flames when fire fighters arrived at the scene.
Decaturville Station #3 was the first to arrive, followed by Bath Springs Station #2. Scotts Hill Station #30 responded, and a tanker from the Parsons station was also utilized. An EMS crew remained at the scene all day, ready to treat anyone that might be injured while fighting the blaze.
An initial evaluation by fire fighters determined that it was best not to attack the fire, Brasher said. Instead, more explosions were anticipated while awaiting assistance from several federal agencies. These agencies provided the resources which were needed in order to address environmental issues related to such a facility, said Brasher.
The plant contained sodium hydroxide, recovered methanol, and bio diesel, and a tanker truck with unknown contents was parked close to the blaze. In addition, 4,800 gallons of glycerin were located at the site.
Fire fighters and Sheriff’s Deputies secured the area, and about 10 homes on Blunt Lane were evacuated.
Decatur County’s Emergency Management Agency was notified of the potential for hazardous exposures, Brasher said. TEMA, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and the Environmental Protection Agency also responded to the site. Specialty clean-up crews were organized to isolate any potential hazards.
Brasher said Monday that the federal agencies that worked on the scene were a great asset to the community. They worked to ensure that there were no hazards to the public. It was determined that there were no significant quantities of any substance that could have led to public harm, Brasher reported.
He also said that the local agencies that responded to the scene all worked very well together and thanked everyone involved for their hard work.
Residents were allowed to return back home around 6:30 p.m., Brasher said. Crews left the scene around 8:40 p.m.
The plant was not in operation at the time of the fire. There were no employees present, though Sam Allen had planned on being at the site within a half hour, Joan Broadway said on Monday. Broadway and her husband Denny began making biofuels in 2001. BioFuel of Tennessee was first built in 2004 and an expansion of the operation was done in 2006. Last year, the Broadways acquired a partner, Mark Wrigley. The plant was undergoing a change in operation to process glycerin, Broadway said.
“We are so thankful that no one was hurt,” Broadway said. She said there were no immediate plans to rebuild. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens,” she said, adding that cost would be a factor in the decision.
As of press time, the cause of the fire had not been determined, though Brasher said that a representative from the state’s Fire Marshal’s office would be investigating the incident. An insurance agent was scheduled to tour the site Monday, Brasher said.
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