News

The explosion and fire led to the evacuation of more than 3,000 people in the area surrounding EQ Resource Recovery Inc., near Wayne and Van Born roads.
Residents have been advised not to return home until the
Environmental Protection Agency determines through testing that the air is safe, which could take until Friday, the station reported.
Some residents, such as the Maddox family, left the shelters they were staying at on Wednesday to check on their pets and clean off a thin layer of dust that had settled onto their homes and cars.

[WINDOWS-1252?]> "You can feel it … It's all black," said Mercedes Maddox.
Residents used power washers to clear the dust, but some worried it could be a danger to their families or their pets.
"My husband came home last night and got the dog, but couldn't get the cats because they were cruising theneighborhood," said Amber Whorton, a Romulus resident.

Dr. Michael Harbut, the chief of occupational and environmental medicine at St. John Providence Hospital, said that although some officials are suggesting that people wash the dust off with soap and water, it's best to stay away from it.

"These are products from a chemical toxic waste fire and
explosion and until we really know they're safe, it's probably not a good idea for people to touch them," Harbut said.

No injuries were reported from Tuesday night's explosion, but some residents complained of a burning sensation in
their eyes, nose and throats, and about 20 people were teated at Oakwood Annapolis Hospital for breathing problems, according to Local 4 reports.
A decontamination center was also established
at the hospital in Wayne.
Jeff Kimball, of the EPA, said that initial tests using
air-monitoring instruments have been encouraging and that the level of compounds in the air appears to be very low.
Lawsuit Filed Against Chemical Plant

A lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in connection with the explosion at the chemical plant, Local 4 reported.

Macuga & Liddle, PC, announced in a news release that it has filed a class action complaint in Wayne County Circuit
Court against EQ Resource Recovery Inc. and EQ Holding Company.
The complaint alleges that the explosion and resulting release of noxious odors and pollutants interfered with
residents' use of their property.
Rescue 4 obtained documents that showed in the past three years, 10 letters were written to EQ Resource Recovery asking for compliances.
The company was fined $240,000 for improper
emissions in 1999.

A police report showed that complaints were filed by residents about a strong odor in 1999, and a fire that sent carbon monoxide into the air that same year, the station reported.
In 2000, a tank at the plant overflowed, spilling antifreeze
onto the ground.
Dan Gilbert, a spokesman for the company did not deny the reports, but said the violations were not out of the ordinary.
"We don't have a spotless record, but then, nobody does," Gilbert said.
Local, state and federal authorities plan to investigate the plant and the cause of the explosion once the area is determined to be safe.
"If it is found that anything was done intentionally or
otherwise, then it would be referred over to an enforcement staff at the EPA and be dealt with separately," said Kimball.
Employees who were inside the plant at the time of the explosion exited safely.

City officials praised the efforts of firefighters and police in the communities affected by the blast, and said that it was an example of how mutual aid downriver can work, the station reported.
One of eight barrels that went up in flames at the plant continued to burn on Wednesday evening.
Company officials said it could take weeks to assess the damage.