Fire marshal: Cause of fertilizer plant fire might never be known

Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: April 26, 2008

Investigators have still not pinpointed the cause of a fire that destroyed a Lynchburg fertilizer plant in January.

The cause of the fire that ripped through the Royster-Clark fertilizer plant on Mayflower Drive may never been known, said Lynchburg Fire Marshal Greg Wormser.

“It’s possible that this may be closed and we’ll never have the answer,” Wormser said.

Investigators do not believe the fire was intentionally set.

The plant, also known as the Agrium Lynchburg Distribution Terminal, is located at 2501 Mayflower Drive and contained 3,500 tons of natural fertilizer that was blended into five types of fertilizer.

The fire destroyed the 100-by-400 foot building, causing some $2 million in damages.

Investigators from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were brought in to assist in the investigation since the damage was in the millions.