BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Families in Brunswick, Georgia are headed back home Sunday morning following the massive fire that broke out twice at the Pinova plant Saturday.
Crews worked throughout the night to extinguish the reignited flames that triggered shelter-in-place and evacuation orders. Officials said the fire was contained and officially out around 10 p.m.
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Kimmly Parrish was one of the residents who adhered to the evacuation because she lives near the plant.
“You don’t take chances with fire,” Parrish said.
Parrish called the entire experience devastating because residents “never had a scare with that plant.”
She said she decided to leave because she was afraid that the fire would cause an explosion and she couldn’t breathe because of the extensive smoke in the air.
“I had to have my mask on because of the chemicals that fume from that fire. It wasn’t good for me,” Parrish said.
Fire departments are still on the site directing water to the plant to ensure another fire doesn’t break out.
When the fire reignited, Brunswick Mayor Cosby Johnson called for voluntary evacuations and extended the shelter-in-place order to the entire town. He also said the Red Cross set up a shelter at Howard Coffin Park for evacuees.
Parrish opted to stay with her grandson across town, but according to the Executive Director of Red Cross Southeast Georgia, 29 Glynn County residents signed in at the shelter and 16 stayed the entire night.
The Salvation Army provided a hot breakfast along with snacks and drinks. The Red Cross also provided guests with pizza and snacks as well.
Other residents told News4JAX that they wished city officials would have called for an evacuation earlier in the day.
Now, they said they do not feel safe living in their neighborhood.
Parrish said before the fire she was thinking about moving someone else. Now, she said it’s definitely going to happen.