8 Confirmed Injured In Warsaw Chemical Fire
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Siara [email protected]
Five city wastewater workers, two firefighters and one company employee all exposed to the fire and chemicals were hospitalized for evaluation, said Warsaw Police Department Public Information Officer Kip Shuter.
The wastewater employees, who had been called in an effort to mitigate potential danger to the watershed, were exposed to chemical fumes which caused burning to their eyes and lungs, according to Shuter. The firefighters and wastewater employees all received decontamination at the scene and were taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital for further decontamination, treatment, testing and evaluation.
Officials at the scene were also notified of a Warsaw Chemical employee who received burns to his hands and was also taken to KCH for treatment, according to Shuter.
The fire was called in shortly before 11 a.m. Friday by a passing Warsaw patrol officer who noticed smoke coming from a building behind Warsaw Chemical, 390 S. Argonne Road, on the east side of Warsaw. Fire units arrived and found a fire in progress in a storage building where multiple containers of chemicals are stored.
The smoke from the fire and chemicals prompted an evacuation of approximately 50 residences and businesses in the area. It also prompted the closure of the railroad as well as several streets on the southeast side of Warsaw and northwest side of the town of Winona Lake.
The heat and fire caused an unknown number of chemical containers to breach and mix with the water used for extinguishment, according to Shuter. The contaminated water flowed into the storm sewer and out into Winona Lake. Mitigating the effects to the lake could be a timely process, Shuter said.
The fire was fully extinguished by 2:20 p.m., and at 3:35 p.m. the evacuation was lifted when the air quality control tests came back negative. Winona Avenue and Market and Jefferson streets reopened while the east and west streets from Argonne to McKinley remained closed. Some of these streets may be closed for an extended period of time, according to Shuter.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and remains under investigation.
Responding agencies included the Elkhart County Fire Department Hazmat team, Clay Fire of St. Joseph County, Warsaw and Winona Lake police and fire departments, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Homeland Security and Environmental Remediation Services.
Warsaw Community Schools Director of Transportation Cheryl Cook said the Jefferson Elementary School routes were the only ones to change. Traffic was slowing things down, but Cook wasn’t worried.
“We’ve got a plan in place and know how to get there,” Cook said. “Our drivers have done a marvelous job.”[[In-content Ad]]
Five city wastewater workers, two firefighters and one company employee all exposed to the fire and chemicals were hospitalized for evaluation, said Warsaw Police Department Public Information Officer Kip Shuter.
The wastewater employees, who had been called in an effort to mitigate potential danger to the watershed, were exposed to chemical fumes which caused burning to their eyes and lungs, according to Shuter. The firefighters and wastewater employees all received decontamination at the scene and were taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital for further decontamination, treatment, testing and evaluation.
Officials at the scene were also notified of a Warsaw Chemical employee who received burns to his hands and was also taken to KCH for treatment, according to Shuter.
The fire was called in shortly before 11 a.m. Friday by a passing Warsaw patrol officer who noticed smoke coming from a building behind Warsaw Chemical, 390 S. Argonne Road, on the east side of Warsaw. Fire units arrived and found a fire in progress in a storage building where multiple containers of chemicals are stored.
The smoke from the fire and chemicals prompted an evacuation of approximately 50 residences and businesses in the area. It also prompted the closure of the railroad as well as several streets on the southeast side of Warsaw and northwest side of the town of Winona Lake.
The heat and fire caused an unknown number of chemical containers to breach and mix with the water used for extinguishment, according to Shuter. The contaminated water flowed into the storm sewer and out into Winona Lake. Mitigating the effects to the lake could be a timely process, Shuter said.
The fire was fully extinguished by 2:20 p.m., and at 3:35 p.m. the evacuation was lifted when the air quality control tests came back negative. Winona Avenue and Market and Jefferson streets reopened while the east and west streets from Argonne to McKinley remained closed. Some of these streets may be closed for an extended period of time, according to Shuter.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and remains under investigation.
Responding agencies included the Elkhart County Fire Department Hazmat team, Clay Fire of St. Joseph County, Warsaw and Winona Lake police and fire departments, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Homeland Security and Environmental Remediation Services.
Warsaw Community Schools Director of Transportation Cheryl Cook said the Jefferson Elementary School routes were the only ones to change. Traffic was slowing things down, but Cook wasn’t worried.
“We’ve got a plan in place and know how to get there,” Cook said. “Our drivers have done a marvelous job.”[[In-content Ad]]
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