Multiple fire crews battled a fire at a peanut warehouse on Wednesday in Northampton County, a day after the blaze started.
Garysburg Mayor and Fire Chief Roy Bell told WRAL News that the fire was contained, but oils from the peanuts were causing the flames to persist. The fire could take weeks to fully extinguish. "It wouldn't be unusual to go for two weeks. It all depends on how many peanuts they got in there," he said.
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Adding to the challenges, reports indicate low water pressure in the area due to a burst pipe earlier this week. As a result, firefighters are sourcing water from the Roanoke River while residents contend with diminished water pressure at home.
Dozens of firefighters worked to contain the blaze at Hampton Farms Company Store along Highway 46 outside Garysburg on Tuesday. Teams from Roanoke Rapids, Weldon and Greensville, Virginia, were some of the responding departments.
Firefighters arrived just before noon on Tuesday. On Wednesday afternoon, some firefighters were still there and flames were still visible with smoke billowing high in the air. Part of the roof of the facility had collapsed.
