1 hurt, schools closed after downtown fire
Downtown evacuated after DHM Adhesives fire
♦ Officials were concerned about the chemicals used by DHM Adhesives.
An industrial fire that started at about 1:15 a.m. Friday at DHM Adhesives resulted in the injury of one worker, the closure of all Calhoun City Schools for the day, partial evacuations in the are due to chemical smoke concerns, and representatives from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the federal Environmental Protection Agency investigating the blaze.
Calhoun Deputy Fire Chief Terry Mills said his crews arrived on the scene at 509 S. Wall St. five minutes after the initial 911 call. The shift that had just gotten off service was recalled to duty, followed by the rest of the city’s firefighters, and then later the Gordon County and Bartow County fire departments were called in to help as well.
South Wall Street remained closed between Piedmont Street and near Prater Ford as of 10 a.m. and Mills was unable to say when those roads might be reopened. Crews were still spraying water onto the mill from South Wall and Oak streets.
Residents from the Calhoun Housing Authority apartments on Edwards Avenue were evacuated with help from the transportation department of Calhoun City Schools, and Calhoun First Baptist Church opened their doors to offer shelter to those who had been asked to leave their homes.
Mills also said that Apache Mills and Bentley Dye closed their businesses for the day voluntarily out of precaution.
Members of the state EPD and the federal EPA were in Calhoun investigating the fire.
Messages were left with Kevin Chambers with the EPD and the EPA’s office in Atlanta.
Mills said both agencies were concerned about smoke in the area from the fire.
“As you can see, it’s bad,” he said.
Mills also said runoff from the scene was a concern due to the chemicals used by DHM Adhesives and that the fire department called in Marion Environmental to help contain the water flowing away from the building.
Jennie Coker, school and community relations direc- tor for the school system, sent out an alert just after 6:30 a.m. Friday notifying the public of the move to close schools.
The schools system later announced via social media that Calhoun High School’s band and football team will report to the school this evening for the Sonoraville game. The school’s debate team will also gather together to attend an outof-town tournament. All other after school activities and practices were cancelled.
City schools Superintendent Michele Taylor said that while they regret having to close the schools, she feels like it was the right decision.
“After consulting with safety officials, we felt it was in the best interest of all of our students and staff to stay clear of the hazardous chemicals,” Taylor said.
The Calhoun-Gordon County Library was closed Friday as well.