Following plastics blaze, harmful chemicals detected in Richmond, Indiana

A fire at a plastic trader in Richmond, Indiana, prompted the evacuation of residents within a half-mile of the site April 11 as plumes of black smoke billowed into the air.

At around 2:30 p.m. that day, the EPA says many tons of chipped, shredded and bulk plastic caught fire. Richmond Fire Chief Tim Brown said in an April 12 press conference that materials across nearly the entire site were burned.

The blaze took place at My-Way Trading, DBA Diversified Green Solutions, and resulted in the release of toxic chemicals. The site had materials stored inside and outside buildings on the site.

The city of Richmond says the business “collected and packaged recyclables for reselling.” The business owner did not respond to an email seeking comment on the incident.

As of April 14, hot smoke began to cool and settle close to ground level, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it detected hydrogen cyanide, benzene, chlorine, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds in the air near the center of the half-mile evacuation zone established two days earlier.

“The entire complex is either burning or has burned,” Brown said during an April 12 news conference. “We’re looking at close to 14 acres of plastic that is piled everywhere. There’s different piles on the facility. There’s semitrailers that are full of plastics. There are buildings that are full of plastics.”

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According to the city of Richmond, the fire was brought under control the evening of April 13, two days after it started. As of the morning of April 14, the EPA says the department was still extinguishing hot spots and flare-ups.

In addition to evacuating the area within a half-mile of the facility, The Wayne County Emergency Management Agency issued a shelter-in-place order for residents near the fire, advising them to keep windows and doors closed and shut off heating, venting and air conditioning systems that draw air from outside. Residents also were advised to wear N95 masks if available because they provide the greatest protection against inhaling harmful particulate matter.

In addition to smoke, the fire caused the spread of debris caught in updrafts. The EPA says some of the debris that landed in the area could release asbestos fibers. Area residents (including those outside the evacuation zone) were advised not to disturb any materials that could have fallen on their properties as a result of the blaze.

The EPA is continuing 24-hour air monitoring in the area of the fire as far east as New Paris, Ohio, nearly 7 miles downwind from Richmond, said Jason Sewell, the on-site monitor for the EPA, during the news conference.

While the investigation into the fire is ongoing, Richmond Mayor Dave Snow placed the blame for the fire on the business owner, adding that the city had cited My-Way for unsafe conditions in the past.

As part of its effort to enforce safety measures, the city acquired a portion of the property, he said during the news conference.

“We just wish that the … the business owner would have taken this more seriously from day one,” Snow said during the press conference. “We have been through several steps … to order this particular business owner to clean up this property because we were aware that what was operating here was a fire hazard. This was a fear for us and why we’ve taken so many steps to prevent this from happening.”