Blaze Levels Henry Plastic Manufacturer

HENRY (May 8-10) — For Henry residents, what should have been a quiet Mother’s Day weekend, by noon on Friday had escalated to a shelter-in-place warning and a large first responder presence in the vicinity of Mark I Drive. Sigma Renew 360, a plastic poly-ethylene pellet manufacturing facility, was fully engulfed, prompting a mutual aid request to almost every fire department within a 50+ mile radius.

At 1:49 p.m. Henry County Emergency Management Agency (Henry County EMA) issued a Shelter in Place warning, “Henry County EMA advises those within the immediate area and north of Sigma Renew 360 to shelter in place due to a structure fire at the plant. Smoke and fumes from the fire may affect those with respiratory issues who should shelter in place. People in the surrounding area are advised to monitor their situations and react appropriately.”

Wind was blowing the smoke north at approximately 11 mph.

The cause of the fire is currently undetermined pending investigation by the state fire investigator. Windy and dry conditions likely contributed to the incident. The facility was a total loss.

The assistant chief and incident commander from Henry Volunteer Fire Department (Henry VFD) said of the response, “First and foremost our department would like to send out a heartfelt thank you to all of the Henry County emergency first responders, Henry County EMA, FEMA, TEMA, OES, along with Carroll County Fire, Weakley, Benton, Henderson, Madison, Obion, Chester, Gibson, Huntingdon, McKenzie, Martin, Dresden, even as far as Nashville. The National Guard, Weakley and Henry County Forestry, Tosh Farms, Conroy Farms, Doyle Sims of Gleason, White Farms, and also some past Henry Fire personnel who responded to help at the drop of a call, and all of the people in the community!”

Yorkville, Milan, Camden, Eva, Mansfield Community, Latham Dukedom, Dyer, Gleason, Stewart County and possibly others were also on scene. The smoke plume was visible from neighboring counties and on weather radar. The scene quickly became regional and national news with television news stations in Nashville and CBS covering the story.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) deployed a district coordinator to assist with the structure fire.

“We are working with local emergency officials to respond to the fire and to make sure all local requests are fulfilled. Follow guidance from Henry County EMA and local officials for updates and any safety instructions,” TEMA said in its 6:30 p.m. Friday update.

TEMA provided another update at 8 p.m., “A Tennessee National Guard helicopter supporting training operations in the region has been assisting response efforts at the Henry County industrial fire by conducting water drops on hotspots inaccessible to ground crews. Using Bambi buckets, crews have completed multiple aerial drops in coordination with local responders as firefighting operations continue.”

TEMA remained in contact with local and state partners and continues to monitor the situation.

Local businesses and community members answered the call for drinks and food for the first responders battling heat exhaustion and dwindling resources as the fight dragged on into the evening.

Henry County EMA advised on Friday at 10 p.m., Smoke from the facility will continue for the next 24 hours, causing air quality issues in the area and could affect sensitive groups such as those with asthma, COPD, or heart conditions.

After battling the blaze for close to 24 hours, at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, Henry County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) said, “The Sigma fire has been fully extinguished.”

“Multiple fire departments collaborated throughout the night and early morning to bring the blaze under control. We extend our gratitude to the Henry Fire Department, all participating firefighters and fire departments, state agencies, the Air National Guard, Emergency Medical Services, 911, and county Emergency Management Agencies for their assistance.

“We appreciate the community’s generous donations for the responders and the personnel managing the rehab center. Special thanks to Tosh Farms, Norwood Farms, Norwood Construction, and other supporters.”

“This incident saw an impressive response with over 20 agencies from outside the county providing aid.”

Henry County EMA concluded, “The site will be transferred to an environmental cleanup company, which will begin working on site to mitigate water runoff.”

According to multiple search results, Poly-ethylene pellets are highly flammable. When it heats up it turns molten. Additionally, the melting point for polyethylene is 248 degrees Fahrenheit and the flash point (when the material ignites) is 644 degrees Fahrenheit. While Poly-ethylene pellets are not classified as an accelerant, it likely contributed to the intensity and sustainability of the blaze.

The longer a fire burns, the hotter it gets. Carroll County Fire Chief Jonathan Gaskins estimates the blaze reached 2-3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Carroll County Fire Department (CCFD) Chief Gaskins issued this statement, “A huge thank you to all of the Carroll County firefighters who responded to the Sigma plastic factory fire, as well as the firefighters who backfilled areas across the county to ensure Carroll County remained protected in the event of another emergency.”

“42 Carroll County FD firefighters assisted at the scene during this incident along with firefighters from Huntingdon FD and McKenzie FD from Carroll County. Two operational shifts were established to help reduce the risk of injuries and heat exhaustion while crews worked long hours under difficult conditions,” CCFD Chief Gaskins continued.

“We also want to thank every department from across West Tennessee that responded to assist. The teamwork, professionalism, and coordination between departments was outstanding and played a major role in extinguishing such a large and complex fire within approximately 24 hours.”

Additionally, Chief Gaskins extended a special thank you to Carroll County EMA for their assistance, coordination, and support throughout this incident.

“We are extremely proud of the dedication shown by everyone involved and thankful for the strong mutual aid partnerships across our region,” Gaskins concluded.

Henry VFD expressed gratitude for the overwhelming response, “Without you all we would have not made it through the night. The fire was a complete loss despite all of the efforts. But we can not say enough about the fight and determination everyone on the scene had working together as one. We also had a tremendous rehab team set up and worked hard the entire night to keep guys and girls fresh, and for that Henry Fire and myself will be forever grateful knowing the teams we have that are just a call away!”

The fire reignited on Sunday morning, Henry VFD notified the public at 8:09 a.m.

It is important to note that rekindling and reigniting are common for lengthy, large fires. It has not and should not regain the strength that the fire had before extinguishment. The fire is being monitored closely. The situation is now manageable by a few people.

Latham Dukedom Volunteer Fire Department Chief Sean Fulcher added, “[The] large fire in Henry, Tennessee showed exactly why the fire service deserves more respect and support than it often receives. Departments from all over responded without hesitation, working together for one purpose — helping people in need.

“What many fail to realize is that a huge number of those firefighters are VOLUNTEERS. That means they left their paying jobs, walked away from family time, missed meals, lost sleep, and put themselves in dangerous situations — all with little to no compensation. They did it because somebody needed help.

“While most people were spending time with their families or relaxing at home, volunteer firefighters were gearing up, responding to a major incident, battling exhaustion, and risking injury for a community that may not even know their names.

“Volunteer fire departments are struggling everywhere. Lack of funding, lack of manpower, and lack of community support are becoming a serious issue. Yet when the tones drop, they still show up. Every single time.

“So the next time your local fire department has a fundraiser, asks for support, or is looking for volunteers, remember days like [May 8-9]. These departments are not ‘playing firefighter.’ They are protecting homes, property, and lives — including yours.

“Support your local fire department before your community realizes too late just how much it depends on them,” Chief Fulcher concluded.

About Henry VFD, “Henry Volunteer Fire Department is a non-profit 100% volunteer organization that serves and protects the city of Henry, Tenn. and at times its surrounding areas. Currently we service a total population of 464 citizens, 191 households, and multiple businesses, including industrial locations. We currently operate out of one station with 3 pumpers, 1 brush truck, and 20 active members. Additionally, we have 55 hydrants in the city of Henry.”

To our knowledge, there were no casualties during this incident. A handful of firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion.

A response from Henry County EMA was not returned by press time.