Evacuation order issued for residents living near manufacturing plant in Georgia

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Authorities in southeastern Georgia issued an evacuation order for residents living within a half-mile of a plastic resin manufacturing plant that reignited in flames on Saturday.

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Fire continued to burn at the Pinova Plant in Brunswick and winds were pushing smoke toward nearby St. Simons Island, WSB-TV reported.

Authorities in Glynn County issued the evacuation order for residents to leave the area.

The U.S. Forest Service is expected to airdrop water on the blaze and will shut down residences, businesses and roads within the evacuation as a safety precaution, WJAX-TV reported.

The fire first ignited around sunrise Saturday and sent a black cloud of smoke over the St. Simons Sound and the southern area of St. Simons Island before firefighters were able to bring it under control, The Brunswick News reported.

The blaze reignited at about 2 p.m. and fire departments from Brunswick and Glynn County responded, according to WTOC-TV. The state’s fire marshal, officials from the Environmental Protection Division and the Glynn County Emergency Management Agency also went to the scene, the News reported.

The morning fire burned terpene resin, a highly flammable hydrocarbon material that is produced at the plant, the News reported. The resin is organic and posed no immediate threat to residents, according to the newspaper.

When the fire started again, other chemicals could also have burned, the News reported, citing a source “close to the firefight.”

Officials said there have been no injuries caused by the fire, WSAV-TV reported.

Pinova processes specialty resin and polyterpene resin from wood, according to the News. The resin is used in fragrances and food products.

The company is a subsidiary of DRT, an international company specializing in plant-based raw materials.