South Hill, Virginia, Warehouse Fire and Spill

Updates regarding the incident

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has set up a webpage dedicated to information regarding the Nutrien Ag Solutions warehouse fire at 501 W Danville St. in South Hill that occurred on Saturday, July 6, 2024. Please click on the link below to access the Virginia DEQ webpage and updates regarding the incident and response.

 Virginia DEQ incident webpage. 

The Virginia Department of Health has issued a recreational swimming and fish consumption advisory for surface waters, including the Meherrin and Roanoke rivers, that extends to the North Carolina-Virginia border. NCDEQ has shared this advisory for public awareness for residents and visitors in the potentially affected areas of Warren, Northampton and Halifax counties near the Virginia border. This information is being shared out of an abundance of caution. According to Virginia DEQ as of July 17, contaminated wastewaters from the spill are not believed to have reached North Carolina waters along the Roanoke River (including Lake Gaston) or Meherrin River.

Fish kill activity in North Carolina can be reported on the NCDEQ website. To track fish kills and algal blooms, please visit the NCDEQ Division of Water Resources Fish Kill & Algal Bloom Dashboard.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources is coordinating with agencies in Virginia and other partners regarding potential environmental impacts in North Carolina resulting from the South Hill, Virginia, warehouse fire on July 6. The warehouse facility contained a large quantity of agricultural chemicals, and runoff from the firefighting efforts entered several water systems in southern Virginia. According to Virginia DEQ as of July 17, contaminated wastewaters from the spill are not believed to have reached North Carolina waters along the Roanoke River (including Lake Gaston) or Meherrin River. NCDEQ Division of Water Resources staff have begun water sampling downstream of the incident. Click on the tabs below for more information.

 

Tab/Accordion Items

North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources staff have started water sampling downstream of the incident. According to Virginia DEQ as of July 16, contaminated wastewaters from the spill have not reached North Carolina waters, i.e., the Meherrin River or Lake Gaston, in North Carolina. DWR staff plan to conduct additional sampling once the wastewaters are believed to have reached North Carolina waterbodies.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is working with officials in Virginia to determine what the potential health impacts could be from this release. This information will inform any future protective actions that may be needed in North Carolina. Additionally, NCDHHS is monitoring data from emergency departments in the area for any patients who develop symptoms such as skin irritation, allergic skin reactions, drowsiness, dizziness, respiratory irritation or nausea after coming into contact with area waters. 

Finally, NCDEQ staff are staying in contact with Virginia DEQ, which is coordinating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state and local health officials to respond to the incident. The Virginia Department of Health is providing support through the issuance of swimming and fish consumption advisories in the waterbodies affected by the event.

The Virginia Department of Health issued a recreational swimming and fish consumption advisory for surface waters, including the Meherrin and Roanoke rivers, that extends to the North Carolina-Virginia border.

NCDEQ has shared this advisory for public awareness of residents and visitors in the potentially affected areas of Warren, Northampton and Halifax counties near the Virginia border. This information is being shared out of an abundance of caution. According to Virginia DEQ as of July 17, contaminated wastewaters from the spill are not believed to have reached North Carolina waters along the Roanoke River (including Lake Gaston) or Meherrin River.

NCDEQ is staying in contact with NCDHHS and local health departments for public health guidance. Information from 

There are no drinking water intakes located on Lake Gaston that serve North Carolina drinking water systems. There are four drinking water intakes located downstream from Lake Gaston, which flows into Roanoke Rapids Lake, and from there the Roanoke River flows to the Albemarle Sound. NCDEQ Division of Water Resources staff have contacted the Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District, the Town of Weldon and Martin County Regional Water and Sewer Authority water system regarding the incident. 

According to NCDHHS staff, surface water bodies do not typically impact groundwater. In hydrology, groundwater is most often discharging into surface water. Given the distance from the initial site and the continued dilution, the impacts to groundwater are expected to be minimal, if there are any. 

NCDEQ Division of Water Resources staff began surface water sampling on Friday, July 12, at locations in North Carolina in advance of any potential downstream impacts from the spill in order to get baseline water quality information. DWR staff plan to conduct additional sampling once the wastewaters are believed to have reached North Carolina waterbodies. 

DWR staff conducted water sampling on the Meherrin River on July 12 and July 13 near the North Carolina-Virginia line in advance of any potential downstream impacts from the spill. Staff noted turtles, fish, and macroinvertebrates in the water looking healthy.  

DWR staff from the Water Sciences Intensive Survey Branch conducted emergency sampling at Lake Gaston Ambient Lakes Monitoring sites on July 13.  In addition, a crew conducted a second round of Lake Gaston samples on July 15.  

Map of Lake Gaston Ambient Lakes Monitoring Sites
Map of Ambient Lakes Monitoring sites on Lake Gaston.

The DWR Water Sciences Estuarine Monitoring Team is on standby in case sampling assistance is needed in the upper Chowan River basin.

To report an algal bloom or fish kill to DWR on your phone, tablet or personal computer, use the DWR online reporting tool or contact your regional office staff. To track an algal bloom or fish kill, use our Fish Kill & Algal Bloom Dashboard. 

The NC Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health (DPH) routinely encourages the public to avoid contact with large accumulations of algae and to prevent children and pets from swimming or ingesting water in an algal bloom. Remember: When in doubt, stay out.

DPH suggests the following steps to safeguard against algal blooms:

  • Keep children and pets away from water that appears bright green, blue, discolored or scummy.

  • Do not handle or touch large mats of algae.

  • Avoid handling, cooking, or eating dead fish that may be present.

  • After swimming, rinse yourself and your pets with clean, fresh water to remove any potential bacteria, algae or toxins that may cling to the skin or fur.

  • Use clean water to rinse off pets that may have come into contact with an algal bloom.

  • If your child appears ill after being in waters containing an algal bloom, seek medical care immediately.

  • If your pet appears to stumble, stagger, or collapse after being in a pond, lake, or river, seek veterinary care immediately.

DPH also reminds the public to take precautions as other microorganisms or pollution may be present in waterbodies that can lead to recreational water illness. 

To learn more about algal blooms, visit the DWR website. For more information on the potential health effects from algal blooms, visit the DPH website.