Smoke covers the view of Wait Chapel from Polo Residence Hall in Feb. 2, 2022.
Moving Forward
February 1, 2023
Today, where the fertilizer plant once stood, there is an empty plot of land. The yellow gates are wide open, but it bears a sign saying “Absolutely No Visitors Beyond This Point.” According to a December 2022 article in the Winston-Salem Journal, Winston Weaver Co. has yet to disclose whether or not they plan to rebuild the Cherry Street plant.
The threat of an explosion has long since disappeared, but its impact reverberates throughout the larger Winston-Salem community and at Wake Forest. Time will only tell how the fire is remembered in history, but for now, there remains work to be done to address the issues the blaze both caused and exposed.