A section of the old fertilizer plant in Cottondale burned down on Thursday. No one was injured.
Cottondale Police Chief William Watford said a silo-like structure made of wood and metal was burned down.
Jackson County Fire Marshall Chuck Sawyer said the plant was probably on fire for about 45 minutes before officials received word and arrived at 5 p.m. Rescue personnel opted to wet down the building and allow it to burn itself out because the older structure had asbestos siding.
The Florida Forest Service was on the scene to ensure that the fire didn’t become a wildfire with all the plant overgrowth located near the burning building. Rangers decided not to clear a path to the fire because of the dark conditions and the asbestos siding.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Cottondale police are still investigating the cause of the fire. Watford said the fire was definitely started, but by whom is still unknown. Without informants coming forward, it’s unlikely the perpetrators will be identified.
Jackson County Fire and Rescue, Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Cottondale Police Department, Alford Fire Department and Campbellton Fire Department all responded to the incident.
“For a fire like that, you need your resources,” Sawyer said.
The plant has been closed for some time. It is owned by Gulf Coast Fertilizer Inc., and managed by Jim Gibbs. Only a small section of the plant was damaged and anything located there would have been removed anyway, Gibbs said.
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