Richmond, Indiana facility fire
Smoke from the fire as viewed from the Walk of Fame just south of the Starr–Gennett building
LocationRichmond, Indiana, United States
Coordinates39°50′15″N 84°54′20″W / 39.83750°N 84.90556°W / 39.83750; -84.90556
Statistics
Date(s)April 11, 2023
CauseSemi-trailer catching on fire[1]
Non-fatal injuries1 firefighter
Map
Richmond, Indiana, facility fire is located in Indiana
Richmond, Indiana, facility fire
Location of Richmond facility fire in Indiana

A large-scale industrial fire occurred on April 11, 2023, impacting a recycling processing facility and its surrounding area in Richmond, Indiana, United States.[2] The fire was caused by a semi-trailer carrying plastics which was engulfed in flames. Four years prior to the fire, the city had found that the site was a fire hazard and the Wayne Circuit Court affirmed the finding, declaring it "unsafe to people and property".[3]

Background

The facility is a former Hoffco/Comet Industrial plant,[4] which closed in 2009.[5] The building was later renamed My Way Trading Warehouse, and "primarily collected and held plastic products to be recycled at another location."[6][7] The building was previously cited for numerous violations by Richmond's Unsafe Building Commission starting in 2019, due to numerous roof leaks and structural problems.[7][8] The building was also described as a fire hazard because some of the inflammable materials were in close proximity to the property line, posing a significant risk.[8] In addition, a disproportionately large amount of plastic was being stored at the site, one of the facility buildings was not equipped with any fire sprinkler system, and there were a few minor fire-code violations as well.[8] According to Seth Smith, who owned the recycling company—then named Cornerstone Trading Group—at that time, the auction company that sold the land to him allegedly had destroyed the fire sprinkler system of that building prior to the ownership change.[8]

Following the Unsafe Building Commission's findings, Smith filed an appeal in November 2019 seeking judicial review of the findings.[9] The court affirmed the commission's orders and found that the evidence established that the site was a fire hazard "unsafe to people and property".[9][8] Smith was given 90 days to eliminate fire and other safety hazards on the property.[10]

The City of Richmond seized two of the three land parcels at the facility in 2022, after Smith did not pay his property taxes.[8]

Fire

View of the fire from the South A Street bridge at 2:40 PM local time on April 11, 2023
View of the fire from the South A Street bridge at 3:52 PM local time on April 11, 2023

The fire occurred on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, around 3 p.m. EDT, when a semi-trailer carrying plastics behind the recycling processing facility was engulfed in flames.[11][12] Emergency crews asked people within a half-mile (0.8 km) from the fire to evacuate.[13] Numerous emergency responders, including the Indiana State Police, the Richmond, Indiana sheriff and fire department, and the Wayne County, Indiana sheriff's department assisted with evacuations.[13][14][15] Dave Snow, the mayor of Richmond, said in an interview that it was a "serious, large-scale fire."[16] An evacuation/shelter in place order was issued for areas 0.5 miles (0.8 km) outside of the incident area.[17] Winds blew the smoke eastward, crossing the Indiana–Ohio border at approximately 4 p.m. EDT.[18] Smoke was spotted as far away as Connersville, Indiana, and Oxford, Ohio.[15] Debris from the fire was found as far as New Paris, Ohio[19] and other portions of Preble County.[20]

The fire was spotted from satellite images, weather radars, and traffic cameras.[2][21][22] One firefighter sustained a minor injury after hurting his ankle after a fall.[23]

Aftermath

The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management were on the scene and evaluated hazards that resulted from the fire.[15] Numerous explosions followed after the fire, with some bystanders moving close to the fire, creating more problems.[15] The piles of plastic scattered across roads made it difficult for first responders to reach the fire.[24] The Wayne County Emergency Management Agency requested assistance from other nearby agencies.[17] The Richmond Community School District canceled all classes on April 12.[11] A Bethesda Ministries building was designated as a temporary shelter.[6]

On Sunday, April 16, the evacuation order was lifted, and residents within the 0.5-mile (0.8 km) radius of the site were allowed to return to their homes.[25]

On April 20, a lawsuit was filed against Smith and the Cornerstone Trading Group by two Richmond residents and a business, seeking $25,000 in damages plus legal fees. The plaintiffs are seeking to have the suit certified as a class action suit.[26] In July, Dave Snow, mayor of Richmond, Indiana, and city attorney Andrew Sickman were subpoenaed as third party defendants after a 19-point dismissal was filed by Smith and his attorneys implicating that city of Richmond was liable for the fire based on ownership of the property. A pretrial conference is scheduled for November, while the trial is set to begin in February 2024.[27]

On July 3, Cornerstone Trading Group, LLC. filed a lawsuit against the city of Richmond claiming city officials "knew about the dangers of the building in 2021 when they acquired it from the previous owners." The documents state that the fire happened on the property were buildings owned by the city and the company therefore did not "cause or contribute the release of any hazardous substances" nor were they liable for the incident.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Hebebr, Maddi (April 11, 2023). "Large industrial fire outside of Dayton causes evacuation". Cleveland 19. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "'Evacuate or shelter in place' Crews battle large industrial fire in Richmond". WRTV Indianapolis. April 11, 2023. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  3. ↑ Emery, Mike; Hardie, Chris (April 13, 2023). "Fire fatigue: Evacuation order remains as officials work to assess health impact". Western Wayne News. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  4. ↑ Richmond, Associated Press. "Large fire causes evacuation order in Richmond near Ohio line". Terre Haute Tribune-Star. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Indiana-Ohio border city evacuated due to fire". Associated Press. April 11, 2023. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Evacuation order issued as large fire breaks out in Richmond". Fox 59. April 11, 2023. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Diaz, Johnny (April 12, 2023). "Fire With Toxic Fumes Could Burn for Days in Indiana, Officials Warn". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Murphy, Paul P. (April 13, 2023). "A 2019 hearing detailed potential fire hazards at the now-burning Indiana recycling plant, and its owner admitted a building did not have fire sprinklers". CNN. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Truitt, Jason (March 5, 2023). "Judge affirms city's order that recycling company clean up its property". Palladium-Item. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  10. 1 2 Frazier III, Tyrone (July 5, 2023). "Richmond recycling company sues city, claims they knew about 'dangers of the building' before the fire". Fox59. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Indiana recycling plant fire forces evacuation orders for thousands as it emits toxic smoke, officials say. And it could burn for days". WPSD Local 6. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  12. ↑ Alvarado, Holly Yan, Elizabeth Wolfe, Paul P. Murphy, Caroll (April 13, 2023). "The fire at an Indiana plastics recycling plant keeps burning as residents wonder what's now in the air". CNN. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. 1 2 WTHR.com staff (April 11, 2023). "Evacuations ordered as massive fire burns in Richmond". 13 WHTR. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  14. ↑ Keegan, Scott (April 11, 2023). "The Indiana State Police Pendleton District". Twitter. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Industrial fire breaks out in Richmond, Indiana. Evacuation/shelter in place order given". Palladium-Item. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Fire causes evacuation order in Indiana city near Ohio line". AP NEWS. April 11, 2023. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  17. 1 2 Bice, Lydia (April 11, 2023). "Large scale fire causing evacuation order and shelter in place in Richmond, Indiana". WRGT. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  18. ↑ Planalp, Brian (April 11, 2023). "WATCH: Massive fire prompts evacuation order in eastern Indiana city". Fox 19. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  19. ↑ Vespa, Maggie; Guevara, Selina; Li, David K. "Carcinogen found in debris 1.5 miles from Indiana plastics fire". NBC News. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  20. ↑ Balduf, Jen. "Debris from toxic Richmond fire lands in Preble County, cancels weekend car show". Dayton Daily News. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Richmond industrial fire: Evacuation ordered". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  22. ↑ Sanderson, Emily (April 11, 2023). "Large industrial fire breaks out in Richmond, Indiana; evacuation orders issued". WLWT. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Richmond fire at Indiana recycling plant could burn for days after thousands asked to evacuate". ABC7 New York. April 12, 2023. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  24. ↑ Krupa, Omar Jimenez, Bonney Kapp, Sara Smart, Nouran Salahieh, Michelle (April 12, 2023). "Massive inferno billowing toxic smoke from recycling plant known as a 'fire hazard' forces evacuation orders for thousands, officials say. It could burn for days". CNN. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ↑ Salahieh, Nouran (April 16, 2023). "Evacuation orders lifted for residents impacted by Indiana recycling plant fire". CNN. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  26. ↑ Kenney, Kara (April 21, 2023). "Richmond residents file class action lawsuit against property owner over massive fire". WRTV Indianapolis. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  27. ↑ Howell Jr., James (July 5, 2023). "Richmond mayor, city attorney subpoenaed in warehouse fire civil lawsuit". WRTV Indianapolis. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
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