Locke said the short was in the maintenance room of the building, a building which is frequently used and is near the railroad tracks where fertilizer is unloaded. It is a problem common in older buildings, he said.
Locke said the fire most likely destroyed the maintenance building before it was noticed and spread to an office area.
Residents heard one or two explosions before firefighters arrived. Acetylene and oxygen tanks exploded soon after firefighters arrived, which spread the fire throughout the rest of plant on Dennis Street.
The fire burned potash fertilizer, about three train cars full which had been unloaded that day, according to Locke.
It destroyed a Bobcat, two forklifts and a small mower behind it. The fire destroyed office equipment, maintenance equipment for loading bulk fertilizer and equipment for mixing fertilizer.
Firefighters saved two buildings, one where anhydrous ammonia was stored and another used for storage.
Locke said the owner has announced intentions to rebuild the plant, which employs 11 people, and is waiting on word from insurance adjustors. A contractor has already been secured.
No one was injured and the fire department is awaiting word on a dollar damage estimate.
Fire departments from Whitakers and Halifax joined Enfield when the fire was reported around 9 p.m.
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Electrical shorts are very serious problems. The high rate of current results in the generation of heat, which can cause sparks or a fire. An electrical short often generates a distinctive popping noise when the circuit is activated, as the electricity follows the new connection it has discovered and the circuit is suddenly overloaded with energy. Smoke or flames may appear, and the short can be strong enough to melt insulation on electrical wiring, or to cause damage to the circuit itself.
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