A hearth at a potato plant in Maine on Thursday morning has induced residents within the space to shelter in place as firefighters labored to extinguish the blaze.

On Thursday morning, the Waldo County Emergency Company and town of Belfast issued an alert relating to a hearth that broke out on the Penobscot McCrum potato processing plant, positioned on Pierce Road.

"The Fireplace Division and Police Division are responding to the fireplace. Waldo County Emergency Administration Company advises that Belfast residents shelter in place till in any other case notified," the alert stated.

At round 9:30 a.m. ET, a spokesperson for the Belfast Fireplace Division advised Newsweek that fireplace crews had been nonetheless on scene working to extinguish the fireplace. No info on the trigger or measurement of the fireplace was instantly accessible, the spokesperson stated.

In line with the Bangor Every day Information, Belfast Mayor Eric Sanders was on the scene of the fireplace on Thursday morning and stated that town's fundamental concern is the truth that ammonia tanks are positioned on the potato plant's property.

"These folks imply lots to me, so. They're good folks, they usually've been battling it since what, 2 a.m.. So I feel the most effective factor we novices can do proper now could be keep the hell out of the best way and pray to God the tanks do not blow," Sanders stated, in line with the Bangor Every day Information.

On Fb, the Belfast Space Excessive Faculties info web page introduced that the varsity will probably be closed immediately because of the hearth. "Let's preserve the workers and firefighters in our hearts. We are going to ship updates as accessible," the varsity stated within the publish.

Whereas it was unclear what induced the hearth, a number of images and movies posted on social media confirmed clouds of smoke touring into the sky all through town.

"On the Shell gasoline station in Belfast, 1.5 miles from Penobscot McCrum. Smoke nonetheless transferring robust close by," Twitter consumer Dave Dyer wrote in a tweet exhibiting clouds of smoke from the fireplace.

Adam Bartow of Portland, Maine's WMTW-TV shared an image of fireside crews working to extinguish the fireplace.

"#BreakingNews an enormous hearth is burning on the Penobscot McCrum potato processing plant in Belfast, Maine. Crews from a number of cities are on scene," Bartow wrote.

Whereas talking with the Bangor Every day Information, Jay McCrum, the proprietor of the potato processing plant, stated that round seven staff had been working within the facility when the fireplace broke out however they had been all in a position to safely evacuate.

"I am doing good as a result of everyone is secure," McCrum stated, in line with the Bangor Every day Information. "And all the fireplace departments have been phenomenal."

Newsweek reached out to town of Belfast for up to date info however didn't obtain a response in time for publication.

Police line
A hearth that broke out at a Maine potato processing facility led to town telling residents to shelter in place. Above, police tape hangs throughout the road in entrance of a home in Park Metropolis, Kansas, on February 26, 2005. Larry W. Smith/Getty