Photo by correspondent Craig Horton
NEW ALBANY, Miss.–A state of emergency was declared for Union County and emergency management in that county was asking residents in about 50 homes near North Mississippi Biofuel to evacuate after three explosions and a massive fire Wednesday. By Thursday morning those evacuations were over.
Several fuel tanks that were once part of the plant are no longer there after explosions at 6 a.m., 12:50 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Emergency crews were letting the fire burn itself out and were not risking life and limb to salvage the tanks.
The Miss. Dept. of Environmental Quality was monitoring the air for hazardous breathing conditions. The Miss. National Guard was also on the scene.
If you travel Hwy. 15 in that area, take another route. It was expected to stay closed as the fire continues to burn.
Classes in New Albany schools were canceled Thursday.
