Richmond residents told they can return home, firefighters still checking for hotspots

Richmond residents near the site of a large industrial fire were told they could return home on Sunday. The fire at a former plastics recycler displaced more than 1,000 residents and sent harmful smoke and debris into the air.

Wendy Snyder said she’s glad to be home and is trying to get back into her routine. She and her family got back Sunday night after staying at a Red Cross shelter most of last week.

“We’re one of the lucky ones. We didn’t have no debris, but there’s a bunch of soot in the yard from the smoke," Snyder said.

The Environmental Protection Agency has said debris from the fire might have asbestos and not to touch it or mow over it. The Wayne County Health Department also recommends that residents don't wear shoes inside.

David Jetmore with the Wayne County Health Department said the rain is helping to cleanse the air around the site of the fire.

“And the fact that the wind’s blowing makes me feel very safe about lifting this evacuation order," he said.

Jetmore said small amounts of the toxic chemicals benzene, naphthalene, and butadiene have been found around the perimeter of the site. But the health department said it's been below short-term exposure limits.

There may still be some particle pollution from the smoke. It’s less harmful, but can still make it harder to breathe and cause heart and lung conditions over time.

READ MORE: City releases evidence showing Richmond plastics recycling business was a fire hazard

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Richmond Fire Chief Tim Brown said firefighters are checking for hidden hotspots to make sure the fire is out before they declare the site is safe. He said accessing parts of the site has been the biggest barrier in putting out the fire.

“The incident being so large and trying to get around in there is very difficult. It is full of bent steel, bent metal, pallets with nails. We're getting nails in our tires," Brown said.

The business that used to own the warehouses, My Way Trading, had a history of safety violations – including fire hazards.

The Wayne County Health Department put together a cleaning guide for residents whose homes were in the evacuation zone. Residents can call the EPA to clean up debris at (765)-973-9300 or fill out a form online.

Rebecca is our energy and environment reporter. Contact her at rthiele@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele.

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