Explosions, Fire Destroy Bartow Manufacturing Plant, Close U.S. 411
Firefighters have re-opened the highway through the city of White following a big, overnight blaze at the Mouldings Unlimited plant.
- August 17, 2012
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Updated 3:40 p.m.
Highway 411 has been re-opened for normal traffic, but drivers should use caution in case equipment is still in the area, sheriff's authorities said.
Updated 9 a.m.
Avoid Highway 411 in White because it's closed until further notice, sheriff's officials say. Georgia Department of Transportation workers are setting up detours in the area to redirect traffic.
Updated 8 a.m.
Ten Mouldings Unlimited employees, who last night could have been working the third shift, were not there when explosions shook the city of White and flames began to engulf the manufacturing plant, threatening nearby structures, CBS Atlanta reports.
"It was shaking my whole house. It woke up my daughter and I was like, 'Get your clothes together,'" nearby resident Amanda Thompson told WSB-TV.
"It rattled the windows. It was really loud, like cannons going off," a man said of the explosions, according to the TV station.
Last week, the plant halted its third shift due to slow business, CBS reports. Mouldings Unlimited employs a total of 25.
Its historic old mill alongside Highway 411, built in 1962, has been destroyed in the blaze that could continue to burn through Monday, according to Fox 5 and CBS.
City of White officials have been concerned about water supply and water pressure, and Bartow Fire Chief Craig Millsap said wood products stored in the manufacturing facility are creating a challenge for suppression crews, Fox 5 reports.
Original Report
As a result of late-night explosions and a huge fire, U.S. Highway 411 outside Cartersville has been closed and could remain shut down until at least 8 a.m., Bartow County sheriff's authorities said after 2 this morning.
The blaze at Mouldings Unlimited in White started about midnight, but was under control by 5 a.m., according to Fox 5 Atlanta and WSB Radio.
Bartow County Fire Department crews began battling the blaze, but requested assistance from Cartersville and Gordon and Cherokee county fire departments, Bartow County Scanner reports.
WSB Radio reported clean-up efforts early this morning blocked traffic on 411 from Stamp Creek Road north through the city of White.
Georgia Department of Transportation officials said 411—both the north and southbound lanes—was expected to re-open north of Cass-White Road by about 6 a.m. Check our live traffic map for updates.
Bartow authorities had said motorists should use Old Tennessee Highway to drive into the city limits of White, but GA Highway 20 could serve as a detour of the area.
Mouldings Unlimited, a family-owned-and-operated manufacturer, is one of the largest and most diversified moulding facilities in the southeast, according to the company's website. It produces hundreds of different hardwood and softwood moldings for a variety of industries in its 157,000-square-foot plant in White, which also contained a retail store and warehouse.
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Bartow County Sheriff's Office
104 Zena Dr, Cartersville, GA34.19161-84.77855Bartow County Sheriff's Office
104 Zena Dr, Cartersville, GA770-382-5050/listings/bartow-county-sheriffs-office1612660/locations/1987018 -
Bartow County Fire Department/EMS
5435 Highway 20 NE, Cartersville, GA34.2041-84.788213Bartow County Fire Department/EMS
5435 Highway 20 NE, Cartersville, GA770-387-5151/listings/bartow-county-fire-departmentems1615221/locations/2669565 -
Georgia Department of Transportation
500 Joe Frank Harris Pkwy SE, Cartersville, GA34.153144-84.75622Georgia Department of Transportation
500 Joe Frank Harris Pkwy SE, Cartersville, GA770-387-3600/listings/georgia-department-of-transportation1614365/locations/1988780
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Frances
7:19 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
Officials at scene were very rude and offered no help with detour route and there are no signs. Get with it Bartow County!
Christa Toney
11:34 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
I do not think that stopping to give you directions was high on their priorities, just saying.
Sheryl Miller Davis
2:12 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
Amen Christa.
Janice Driggers
4:44 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
Officials should conduct their selves in the manner in which they have been trained and must maintain decency for all mankind, even in urgent situations. Their duty is to serve, protect, and aid anyone in need no matter the degree of severity. If they cannot handle their job while maintaining that, there are many others who are in need of a job who certainly can.
Frances
10:36 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
Janice has got it right. These officers were not fighting a fire, they were re-directing traffic. There was no way to know how much of 411 was blocked therefore leading to much confusion. Their job is traffic. Their job is to keep safety on the hwy. 411 is a State Hwy with a lot of semi-trucks. Why wasn't the DOT on the scene sooner? No one was asking fire fighters or EMTs for directions, just police officers standing around.
Bill Martin
11:32 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
What a bunch of cry babies. The officers don't have the time in that situation to try and provide AAA routing service to you folks who have lived here for so long yet only know one way to get anywhere. Grow up, get a life, quit blaming others for your shortcomings. They have to concentrate on traffic control not travel advice.
Frances
7:01 am on Saturday, August 18, 2012
What else are they doing while standing around at a road block? You can't be so stupid as to think everyone traveling that hwy lives in Bartow or is a lifelong resident.
Patch Reader
10:32 am on Saturday, August 18, 2012
What is the end goal with the name-calling and blame-assigning? As someone who was there, every person I saw ask a deputy for directions, was treated nicely and given directions. Admittedly, I saw one couple drive by and instead of asking directions, they began complaining about no signs, etc, and drove away before asking directions. Deputies don't have signs, cones, barrels, etc. I believe some of these comments should be directed to the D.O.T. instead.