NATCHEZ — An errant spark caused a chemical fire that burned several tons of formamidine sulfinic acid at the Boulva Tech Riverside warehouse Monday.

The resulting cloud of smoke and gas caused the evacuation of the businesses in the Natchez-Adams Port and the residences in the Magnolia Bluff neighborhood.

Assistant warehouse manager Chris Barbee said while the chemicals, used in the production of paper products, burn they don’t produce flames.

“As soon as it happened everyone was evacuated,” Barbee said of the warehouse workers.

Barbee said workers were cutting a skylight on the roof of the warehouse when a spark or piece of molten metal fell on the pallet of chemicals.

Each of the 24 pallets of chemicals that burned in the fire had one large sack of the formamidine sulfinic acid, which weighed between 500 and 1,000 pounds each.

“We were very lucky that no one was hurt,” Barbee said. “That was our main priority, getting everyone safe.”

Boulva CEO Steven Rogers said while the pallets should have been moved before work began, he too was glad no one was injured.

Adams County Emergency Management Director Stan Owens said the chemicals had burned out by approximately 12:30 p.m.

“We were very luck,” Owens said. “The wind took the majority of the gas and smoke to the south, to less inhabited areas, and no one was injured.”

Owens said as the chemical burned it produced gasified ammonia and sulfur, which can be like “inhaling acid in your lungs.”

Responding firemen from the Natchez Fire Department wore Level B Hazmat suits which kept them safe from toxins, Owens said.

“They were fully encapsulated in plastic,” Owens said. “We just wanted to be on the safe side.”

Owens also notified the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, who will now advise the chemical’s owners, Mississippi River Corporation, on how to dispose of the chemicals.

Barbee said with the exception of the impacted section of warehouse, the rest of the facility will be open today.

Boulva Tech Riverside was formally known as USSEC Riverside II, and houses chemicals and lumber.