Personal Injury Attorney in Winnsboro, SC

Five days after a spectacular fire at a mattress factory in Winnsboro, local and state officials say they’ve headed off many of the threats to creeks, drinking water and air that had raised alarms in the small Fairfield County town.

But concerns continued Friday over the lingering effects of the fire on agricultural land and the crops some local farmers sell to restaurants. One farmer who said chunks of foam rained down on her land filed a lawsuit against the plant’s owner.

The initial fire broke out early Sunday Aug. 16, then blazed up again later that day as it spread through the U.S. 321 factory. The possible release of chemicals used in the manufacturing process sparked concerns, prompting a response from state, federal and local agencies.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,’’ Fairfield County spokesman Gene Stephens said Friday. “It looked like a volcano with the smoke coming out. There weren’t explosions, but it almost looked like fireballs going up.’’

The county said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found few threats while monitoring the air immediately after the fire.

Meanwhile, state and local officials were able to temporarily dam up a creek before any polluted runoff from the fire reached Winnsboro’s drinking water reservoir, Stephens said. Runoff from water used to fight the fire is being pumped away, Stephens said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but Stephens said there are no signs, so far, of foul play. The blaze turned from a smaller fire Sunday morning to an extensive fire that had spread to other parts of the plant Sunday night, he said.

While progress has been made to protect the community and the environment, government agencies continue to investigate and monitor the property, particularly since expected rain could wash some contaminants from the site.

A key concern also centers on crops being grown by area farmers, who say debris fell on their land after the mattress fire erupted. That has sparked questions about whether the vegetables are safe to sell. Many of the crops go to Columbia area restaurants.

One farmer, Amy Bates of Fairfield County, filed a lawsuit Friday afternoon, seeking compensation from the plant’s owners for losses at her family farm.

The effects of the fire caused her to stop selling to customers locally, she said. Restaurants Bates sells to are some of Columbia’s better known eateries, including Motor Supply Co., the Warmouth and di Vino Rosso, according to the lawsuit. State agriculture officials advised her not to sell, she said.

“These are like large chunks, some of them the size of baseballs,’’ she said of the darkened foam that rained from the sky.

The fire occurred at the MLILY USA mattress factory, a 650,000 square foot facility owned by Healthcare Co. Ltd. of China. The factory, at the site of an old plant, opened in 2019 after a $50 million investment in Fairfield, a small county just north of Columbia.

The factory employs more than 250 people. It uses foam to manufacture mattresses, Stephens said.

Taylor Campbell, a company official at HealthCare’s Knoxville, Tenn., office, called the blaze “a total loss fire’’ but said “everyone was safe.’’ She said she did not know about whether the company planned to rebuild, but said Healthcare expected to put out a statement in the near future.

For now, officials say the public is safe.

Myra Reece, the director at the S.C. Department of Environmental Services, praised efforts to limit the threats from the fire.

“The immediate and collaborative efforts of federal, state and local agencies have helped limit potential impacts to people, property and the environment,” Reece said in a news release. “SCDES will continue to provide close oversight of the ongoing environmental remediation efforts.”

This story has been updated with information about a lawsuit and a farmer’s comments.

WINNSBORO, S.C. (WIS) - Fairfield County officials are giving an update as crews continue working the MLily USA mattress factory site, which caught fire on Sunday morning and reignited Monday morning, destroying the facility and leaving hundreds unemployed in Winnsboro.

As of Thursday, the Fairfield County Fire Service has remained on the site to monitor the situation.

South Carolina State Fire was on scene from Sunday until 8 p.m. Tuesday. The fire was deemed under control and manageable, and crews officially left the site at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Air quality

County officials say the EPA has been monitoring air quality since 2:30 p.m. Monday. After deeming the air quality safe and monitoring for more than 36 hours, the federal EPA is no longer on scene; they say there is no danger to anyone near the facility.

According to officials, there will be lingering smoke coming from the facility that should be avoided.

Runoff

The Hazardous Environmental Products Abatement Company (HEPACO), based in Charlotte, N.C., was called in to examine and control runoff from the operation to extinguish the fire.

According to a HEPACO report from Wednesday at 3 p.m., there is no danger to any surrounding area groundwater wells.

Officials say there was runoff into Mill Creek, which feeds the Jackson Creek Reservoir. Once runoff spilled into Mill Creek, HEPACO officials dammed the creek downstream from the runoff exposure.

The current flow, including the runoff, is being drained and not allowed to go further downstream. The drained water is being tested and disposed of. With Mill Creek dammed, no runoff made it into the reservoir, according to county officials.

Officials say the town of Winnsboro’s water supply has not been contaminated and is being tested to ensure it is safe for consumption.

Once all runoff has been mitigated and filtered out, HEPACO has confirmed that every area of the creek will be restored to pre-incident.

This is a developing story; WIS will have more information when it becomes available.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our , and . Have feedback that can help us improve? .

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WIS) - A devastating industrial fire has completely destroyed the MLily USA mattress factory in Winnsboro, leaving the building a total loss and forcing an estimated 300 employees into sudden unemployment.

While the active fire has been put out and nearby Highway 321 South has reopened to traffic, first responders continue to work in triple-digit heat to secure the remains of the facility.

Drone Surveillance Identifies Remaining Hot Spots

Though the primary blaze is extinguished, the site remains under the control of the Fire Marshal. Emergency crews are utilizing thermal-imaging drones to map out underground hot spots buried beneath heavy debris.

“We have what you call hot spots in certain areas,” said Fairfield County Public Information Officer Gene Stephens. “We’ve been using a thermal drone to go over and identify those hot spots. We are in the process now of identifying those spots, removing debris, and getting to them one at a time with fire suppression.”

Stephens indicated that due to the stubborn nature of the smoldering materials, a fire crew will likely remain stationed at the property for the next week or two until the site is completely stabilized.

EPA Tests Confirm Air and Water are Safe

Because the facility manufactured foam mattresses containing industrial chemicals, both the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been monitoring the area.

Stephens shared that initial EPA tests show the air quality outside of the immediate facility is safe for local residents.

“In the immediate area of the facility, we had a couple of raised levels, but this is literally just within the structure of the facility,” Stephens said. “Once you go 100 or 200 yards away, those reading levels drop tremendously and there is no harm to people.”

Stephens also addressed community concerns regarding millions of gallons of water runoff entering nearby waterways.

“We did meet with DES and the EPA this morning, and they told us that the initial runoff going into the grounds is not going to harm any wells,” Stephens said. “Mill Creek has actually been cut off and stabilized. They are testing the water, and there is no initial concern to drinking water. You are fine drinking your town water and your well water.”

Authorities advised that smoke and ash residues may continue to drift across local roads for the next several days. If residents find fragments of fire debris in their yards, Stephens advised putting on gloves, bagging the debris, and disposing of it in regular household trash.

Donation Site Opened to Support First Responders

Over the past 48 hours, more than 200 volunteer firefighters from surrounding counties have battled the chemical fire in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.

In response, Fairfield County has set up an official donation collection point at the Fire Service Headquarters to keep emergency personnel hydrated and fueled.

Drop-off Location: Fairfield County Fire Service Headquarters880 West Moultrie St, Suite 300, Winnsboro, SC 29180

Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Local residents are already stepping up to assist. Winnsboro resident Keith Green brought out a grill to cook chicken and rice for the exhausted crews.

“I came up and asked the Sheriff of Fairfield County if it would be all right if I prepared some food to bring down to the firemen to help them out,” Green said. “My dad was a volunteer fireman for years. Being out like this is rough on a person.”

MLily Responds to Employee Job Losses

The sudden loss of the facility has dealt a massive blow to the local economy. In a statement sent to WIS on Tuesday, MLily corporate headquarters addressed the destruction of the Winnsboro plant and their focus on displaced workers.

“Local officials have publicly described the building as a total loss. Our top priority is with our Winnsboro employees and their families as they navigate the uncertainty created by this event,” the statement read. “Human Resources is actively working with state and local agencies, including workforce and community assistance organizations, to connect affected employees with available resources and support services.”

The company confirmed that all employees on site at the time of the original fire Sunday morning were evacuated safely and no injuries have been reported.

This is a developing story. Check back with WIS for updates as state and federal agencies release final chemical and environmental assessments.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our , and . Have feedback that can help us improve? .

WINNSBORO, S.C. (WIS) - Healthcare SC says it will continue to help the over 250 employees who were laid off following a fire that destroyed its Winnsboro plant.

In a WARN Report listed by the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, 254 workers at the Healthcare SC facility will be laid off starting Aug. 28 due to a “permanent closure.”

“Our hearts are with our team members and the Winnsboro community as we work through this difficult time together,” a Healthcare SC spokesperson said in a statement provided to WIS. “We are actively evaluating options for rebuilding and resuming operations in Fairfield County, and we are committed to supporting affected employees through this transition, including participating in the Sept. 2 job fair alongside state and local officials.”

The company also thanked firefighters and other first responders who worked to put out the fire, and reiterated that it will “continue working with the appropriate agencies, community leaders, and stakeholders as we evaluate the path forward, and we will share more as those discussions progress.”

The plant, which made MLily brand mattresses, caught fire on Aug. 16 and has since been deemed a total loss. A Fairfield County farmer has also since sued Healthcare SC, claiming the fire contaminated her land, crops and a neighboring creek.

Any worker affected by an unexpected company closure can immediately file for unemployment benefits or job placement assistance.

SCDEW officials state that starting the process online or visiting an SCDEW office during normal business hours will initiate benefits and employment searches almost immediately.

Click/tap here for more information on filing for unemployment in South Carolina.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our , and . Have feedback that can help us improve? .

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WIS) - A Fairfield County farmer is suing Healthcare SC, LLC, the owner of an MLILY factory destroyed in a massive fire.

According to a lawsuit filed Friday, plaintiff Amy Bates is suing MLily USA and its Chinese parent companies following a 48-hour fire at the Winnsboro mattress factory that began on Aug. 16.

Court documents state Bates lives and farms on about one acre of land in Ridgeway, roughly 10 miles from the facility.

According to the lawsuit, the fire consumed massive amounts of petroleum-derived, combustible chemicals and finished foam. Bates claims this released carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide gas, and fine particulate matter into the surrounding community, contaminating her land, crops, and a neighboring creek.

Due to the fire, the lawsuit states the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (DES) is actively testing local water sources for fire-suppressant chemical runoff, while the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitored air quality in the area for hazardous gases like hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide.

On the advice of the Clemson Cooperative Extension Service, Bates canceled outstanding crop orders to several Columbia restaurants and spent three days manually removing debris while wearing protective gear.

Healthcare SC is being sued for trespass, private nuisance, strict liability, and gross negligence. The suit cites claims from employees who allege that management ignored safety concerns and patched over broken equipment.

Bates is seeking class-action status for the lawsuit, which would allow other residents affected by the fire to seek compensation for cleanup costs, business losses, and punitive damages.

Prominent Midlands lawyer Dick Harpootlian is representing Bates in the case.

WIS has reached out to Healthcare SC for comment.

While not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, Fairfield County released a statement acknowledging the filing, noting they cannot comment on the merits of the allegations.

Read Fairfield County’s full statement below:

Fairfield County is actively working with the responding state agencies involved in the monitoring, assessment, and cleanup efforts following the fire incident at the Healthcare SC facility.

The County understands the concerns of residents and the agricultural community regarding potential impacts related to air quality, runoff and particulate debris or ash that may have settled on nearby farmland and plants. Fairfield County is supporting the ongoing response and investigation and is coordinating with the appropriate state agencies as they assess these concerns and determine the necessary remediation measures.

Healthcare SC has transitioned the remediation and cleanup activities to outside consultants and continues to work with the state agencies conducting on-site monitoring and oversight.

Fairfield County is also aware that a class action lawsuit has been filed by individuals who allege they were impacted by the incident. Because the matter is the subject of ongoing legal proceedings, Fairfield County cannot comment on the merits or allegations of the lawsuit, nor can the County comment on matters that remain part of an ongoing investigation.

The County will continue to cooperate with and support the appropriate state agencies as they conduct their monitoring, investigation and environmental assessments. Fairfield County will also provide assistance and coordination within its authority as appropriate.

Our priority remains the health, safety and well-being of Fairfield County residents, farmers, businesses and the surrounding community. We recognize the concerns being raised and will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Because the investigation and legal proceedings are ongoing, Fairfield County will defer to the appropriate state regulatory and environmental agencies regarding technical findings, testing results and specific remediation requirements and to the appropriate councils regarding the pending litigation.

The County will communicate significant updates to the public as verified information becomes available, while respecting the integrity of the ongoing investigation and legal process.

Fairfield County Public Information

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our , and . Have feedback that can help us improve? .