Cleanup Underway Following Large Chemical Fire In Verdigris

Firefighters said a fire at a galvanizing plant in Verdigris on Oct. 16 damaged about 40% of the facility.

Crews were able to prevent hazardous materials from running into the nearby Verdigris River while fighting that fire for hours Sunday night.

Neighbors who talked to News On 6 said their first thought when the fire broke out was whether it would spread to nearby homes or a plant to the south that manufactures nitrogen and hydrogen.

Beth Clagg and her kids, along with their friends, were relaxing at home Sunday night when they noticed flames from their Verdigris backyard.

“We have experienced a total-loss house fire, and so this is our rebuild, and so she, we all, kind of have a little PTSD when it comes to fire itself,” said Clagg.

Clagg said the kids ran across the street, where the Verdigris fire chief lives, to ask what was going on. The chief was already suiting up to respond to a large fire at the Valmont galvanizing plant.

Clagg also said she was worried the fire could spread to a nearby facility that manufactures nitrogen and hydrogen products, so she loaded the kids up and left in a hurry.

“Chunks of black debris started falling,” said Clagg. “They started coughing so I was like, ‘Let’s get out of here. We probably shouldn’t be under the smoke,’ so we came home because the wind was blowing that way, and the fire was going that way.”

Other neighbors, like Cindy Munden, were also watching the fire.

“We’re friends with all these neighbors here,” said Munden. “We have lots of neighbors, lots of friends that live in the neighborhood, so of course, we’d be concerned about them and our property.”

Firefighters said no one was on the plant’s property during the fire.

Valmont told News On 6 the company is grateful to all the first responders and officials are happy no one was hurt.

The company said its environmental, health and safety team is on site to help while fire investigators try to figure out what caused the fire.

Clagg and the kids said they plan to make a basket of goodies to give to the fire chief to show their appreciation.