www.cnn.com – 2023-04-14 02:01:00
CNN
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After firefighters spent two days battling an inferno fueled by plastics in eastern Indiana, the fire has been fully extinguished, officials said.
“We’re now able to turn our attention to collecting air and water samples to determine when the evacuation order can be lifted,” Richmond Mayor Dave Smith told CNN Thursday night.
But the blaze at a Richmond recycling plant reignited old frustrations over safety hazards at the facility and sparked new fears among residents about the future of their health.
About 2,000 people living within a half-mile radius of the plant were still under evacuation orders Thursday, two days after the fire started. And for the second straight day, Richmond public schools were closed.
“If you are downwind of the area, stay inside, close your windows, and turn off air conditioning,” Richmond city officials warned.
The fire was 90% out as of Thursday afternoon, Richmond Fire Department Chief Tim Brown said at a news conference.
The US Environmental Protection Agency had not detected any toxic compounds as of Wednesday morning. But the state fire marshal has already said the smoke plumes were “definitely toxic.”
Due to very little wind, “residents may notice that the smoke from the fire has settled more in and around the city and in areas that had not previously had issues,” the Wayne County Emergency Management Agency said Thursday morning.
The EPA has been monitoring air quality at 15 locations around the site for the possibility of toxic chemicals from the incinerated plastics.
The billowing black smoke stirred memories of the recent toxic train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio. High levels of some chemicals from that disaster could pose long-term risks, researchers have said.
Corey McConnell’s family fled their home in the evacuation zone Tuesday night. He could already smell fumes and saw exhausted firefighters battling the blaze.
“It’s really unbelievable,” McConnell told CNN. “Makes me worry about the health of my family, not just today but in the future as well. Who knows how long this could be in the air for?”
Resident Wendy Snyder evacuated to a Red Cross emergency shelter but briefly returned home to grab a few belongings, she told CNN affiliate WHIO. That’s when she noticed the stench of burning plastic.
“There is a stink in the air when you go outside on our porch,” Snyder said. “In fact, it burned my throat because (we) weren’t wearing a mask.”
The primary health concern to residents is particulate matter – fine particles found in smoke – that could cause respiratory problems if inhaled, said Christine Stinson, executive director of the Wayne…