CHATHAM, Va. – A chemical fire at a company in the Tightsqueeze Industrial Park is out and hazmat teams are investigating.

Pittsylvania County’s Public Safety Director says there were no injuries in the fire, which led the evacuation of a school and warnings for residents within a one mile radius of the Sartomer plant to stay indoors.

Arkema, the company that owns Sartomer, said the fire was caused when a chemical used in the acrylic coatings it makes overheated in a storage drum. That was at around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. The chemical reaction and subsequent fire released a huge gray cloud of smoke that was visible for several miles.

A hazardous materials team from the state joined Danville’s hazmat crews on the scene, along with firefighters from Chatham, Dry Fork and Blairs.

Just before 1:40 p.m., Pittsylvania County Public Safety issued a warning for those living and working in the vicinity of the plant to stay indoors and to avoid breathing fumes from the fire. Students at Chatham High School were bused to the middle school and traffic along Rt. 703 in Chatham was rerouted.

There were no reports of injuries or respiratory problems as a result of the incident.