If a bag is accidentally ripped, confine fertilizers to the immediate area. That means having a solid floor and, for liquid fertilizers, a curb. The secondary containment space should have enough volume to hold 125 percent of the contents of the largest container plus the displaced volume of any other storage tanks in the area. Ideally, your fertilizer storage area should be separate from other activities. If the building also must serve as a machine shed or as housing for livestock, you may find it difficult to meet all the requirements for safe storage.
Stored fertilizers can pose a danger to firefighters and to the environment.
Reducing the fire risk in the storage area may be the first step, but you can do other things. You can reduce the damages by anticipating such emergencies. If a fire occurs, consider where the water will go and where it might collect. In making the storage area secure, also make it accessible, allowing you to get fertilizers out in a hurry. If fertilizer containers are damaged, the stored nutrients may be carried away by water and spread over a large area.