Glynn County in coastal Georgia issued first a shelter in place advisory, then announced an evacuation, due to a fire at a resin plant.
The fire, originally reported under control Saturday morning, had reignited Saturday afternoon, prompting an evacuation order that lasted several hours. Shortly before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Glynn County announced the fire was out and ended the evacuation orders.
“Evacuation has been issued for 1/2 mile radius of plant,” the county said in a social media post. A fire at the Pinova Plant at 2801 Cook Street in Brunswick was first announced Saturday morning but initially appeared to be under control.
“The fire is now contained. There were no injuries,” the county posted just before 10 a.m. “There is NO immediate concern for public safety.”
Later in the day, though, there was.
“The Pinova Plant Fire has reignited,” the county posted at 3:10 p.m. “Brunswick City Fire Department and Glynn County Fire are on scene. Mutual aid resources have also been called in.”
Fire crews from Savannah and Jacksonville, Fla. were assisting, including aerial equipment able to fight the blaze from the air.
The county also issued the shelter in place advisory for areas within a half-mile of the plant. County officials said the Red Cross has opened a shelter nearby at Howard Coffin Park. Residents outside the evacuation area were urged to stay indoors as a precaution.
By 5:34 p.m., the county announced the evacuation. Late Saturday the fire was reported again to be contained but” had not been extinguished. But shortly before 10:30 p.m., the fire was out again and the evacuation order was ended.
“Fire is out. Crews will be deploying foam for the next hour,” the county posted on social media.
The Pinova facility is just off U.S. 17 in Brunswick. The city is about 70 miles north of Jacksonville, Fla., and 300 miles southeast of Atlanta.
In November, an industrial fire at a Glynn County chemical plant also prompted evacuations of nearby neighborhoods.
“Get out of there,” Glynn County Commissioner Cap Fendig told residents who reported smelling smoke at the time. “Don’t be inhaling it.”
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