Illinois authorities submitted the chemical manufacturer Chemtool to its Rockton plant on the grounds of pollution and environmental violations.
On Monday, when a fire broke out in a grease, lubricant and oil plant, the Rockton Fire Chief warned that it could lead to an "environmental nightmare."
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said it is asking the state attorney general to order Chemtool to "immediately stop publishing and provide documents on the cause of the fire," as well as estimates of sulfuric acid mist, particulate matter and other air pollutants. issue.
"We understand this action, and of course we will work with state and federal regulators to resolve the issues raised in the referral," said Alicia Gauer, a spokesperson for the parent company Lubrizol. "This will include working to resolve any pollution issues we have done since the beginning of this incident, and cleaning up the site after the fire is extinguished."
In a statement on Tuesday, the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) stated that all 70 workers had safely evacuated the facility and one firefighter sustained minor injuries.
The CSB stated that a larger federal investigation team is expected to arrive soon, adding that air quality "continues to be within acceptable limits."
“At this time, the assessment seems to indicate that the incident was a fire incident and not a chemical process safety incident. Interviews with employees may give a clearer understanding of the incident that led to this incident and the potential serious impact on the community and the environment are worthy of attention,” CSB wrote.
Firefighters said on Monday that they might burn out the chemicals due to concerns that the extinguishing agent would turn into toxic runoff in nearby rivers, but CSB said that the original method “has been re-evaluated and the current plan is to lead to the river. And extinguish the remaining flames."
"This may add environmental factors to the event dynamics," it said.
Tim Fitzsimmons is a reporter for NBC News. He He