Emergency workers on Thursday are responding to a large fire near a nursery in Kissimmee, Florida, that is emitting large plumes of black smoke, according to local officials.
The Osceola County Fire Rescue and EMS wrote that as of around 11 a.m. ET, crews are still “working a large fire in the area of Avenue A in Intercession City, involving more than two acres worth of pallets holding plastic planters.”
Fire officials, it said, have set up “air monitoring devices” and “are prepared to issue evacuation orders, if necessary,” according to a Facebook post. “Hazmat and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection are on scene and reporting NO hazardous material released.”
But the service still wrote that locals should “stay clear of the area” regardless and consider another driving route.
“We’ve got remote monitoring set up and we’re not yet getting any signal that would cause us to call for an evacuation, but that could change,” Osceola Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Jon Haskett told WESH-TV, responding to a question regarding whether the smoke is dangerous to nearby residents. “If there is an evacuation, it would be due to the smoke and carbon monoxide off the fire.”
The fire broke out at around 2 a.m. at Nursery Supplies Inc. on Avenue A, located north of Poinciana High School in Kissimmee, officials told News4Jax. The company describes itself as a “plastic products supplier” on Google Maps.
Local media video footage and Google’s imagery of the location show that the business appears to be a large warehouse that includes a storage area. Based on aerial video footage, it appears that the storage area near the warehouse is on fire, while officials told local news outlets that plastic products are on fire.
Video footage of the fire captured by WESH-TV also shows that that several acres of pallets containing plastic planters are burning. There are also propane tanks nearby, offiicals told the outlet.
Reporters with Fox Orlando say that the nursery itself is not on fire. However, it was evacuated because there were employees inside.
The blaze comes amid controversy over the handling of a train derailment and fire in East Palestine, Ohio, this month that released toxic chemicals into the air and water. On Wednesday night, hundreds of irate residents of East Palestine attended a town hall, seeking answers to what health dangers they face.
Some of those residents expressed anger that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has come under fire from Republicans over his agency’s response, wasn’t in attendance, according to reports.
Norfolk Southern officials did not attend the meeting, claiming they feared violence. The company operated the derailed train, which was carrying highly toxic vinyl chloride.
“After consulting with community leaders, we have become increasingly concerned about the growing physical threat to our employees and members of the community around this event stemming from the increasing likelihood of the participation of outside parties,” the company said in a statement to news outlets.
Much remains unknown about the dangers posed to residents by the toxins that spilled, experts said. Many in the area have complained of headaches and irritated eyes, and noted that chickens, fish, and other wildlife have died off. Despite that, state health officials have insisted to residents that East Palestine is a safe place to be.
Reuters contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times