Chemical reaction sparks fire at West Virginia distribution facility
ST. ALBANS, W.Va. — A chemical reaction is believed to have sparked a fire at a distribution facility in St. Albans, W.Va., on Tuesday.
The facility is owned by German chemical distributor Brenntag.
Emergency officials said the fire began shortly after 10:30 a.m. when a product in the storage area polymerized.
The storage area contained 60 to 70 large drums of flammable chemicals, believed to be alcohol-based products.
"It had a reaction and caused heat. We don''t know the products been on fire. We think the heat from the product''s reaction set the roof on fire," Kanawha County Deputy Emergency Manager C.W. Sigman told West Virginia MetroNews.
Sprinklers at the facility contained the blaze.