Richmond fire at Indiana recycling plant could burn for days after thousands asked to evacuate.
RICHMOND, Ind. — A massive fire emitting toxic smoke from an eastern Indiana recycling plant described by the city’s mayor as a known “fire hazard” has forced evacuation orders for about 2,000 people as the battle to put it out is expected to drag on for days, city and state officials said.
Plastics were among the items that started burning Tuesday at the Richmond plant, and the smoke — a thick, black column that rose from the site — is “definitely toxic,” Indiana State Fire Marshal Steve Jones said in a news briefing.
“There is a host of different chemicals that plastics give off when they’re on fire, and it’s concerning,” Jones said Tuesday evening, adding he expects the fire to burn for days.
City officials “were aware that what was operating here was a fire hazard,” Richmond Mayor Dave Snow said Wednesday. “This was a fear for us.”
The fire’s cause wasn’t immediately known and likely won’t be until after it’s out, officials said. No serious injuries were reported.
US Environmental Protection Agency testing by mid-morning Wednesday had not identified toxic compounds, such as styrene or benzene, with air quality monitoring set to continue as smoke dissipates, emergency response on-scene coordinator Jason Sewell said. The agency collected measurements “all over night” and through Wednesday, monitoring particulate matter and looking for toxic chemicals.
Even before that, though, Brenda Jerrell “didn’t hesitate” to leave her home near railroad tracks close to the burning facility, she told CNN, noting, “The smell had already been bad.”
“I didn’t have shoes on; I had socks on,” she said. “I left my purse, my shoes — I left a lot of things, personal things … and just got in the car and drove away.” Covering her mouth and nose with a mask, Jerrell was “still worried because they’re telling us they don’t know what was burning and that, you know, irritation may occur.”
The towering smoke plume and health concerns recall the inferno and draining of hazardous materials set off by a freight train derailment and fire this year in East Palestine, Ohio. High levels of some chemicals recorded during that disaster could pose long-term risks, researchers have said.
The Indiana evacuation order was issued for residents within a half-mile of the fire, and authorities could change it if wind direction shifts, Jones said. Residents downwind of the evacuation zone — to the east and northeast — were encouraged to shelter in place and bring pets indoors. About 35,000 people live in the city some 70 miles east of Indianapolis, where shelters opened Tuesday, Snow said.
