Fear of toxic smoke from fire at industrial plant in US city

Two warehouses containing large quantities of shredded plastic caught fire Tuesday afternoon, according to the small eastern Indiana town of Richmond. Due to the potential health risks to local residents, the city ordered an evacuation within a 0.5-mile zone. About 2,000 people were affected, according to CNN.

The head of the local health authority, Christine Stinson, warned of potential health risks for people in the town. “These are very fine particles and if they are inhaled they can cause all sorts of breathing problems including burning eyes, chest tightness, they can make asthma worse,” she said at a press conference on Wednesday.

They can also cause bronchitis and other things. “We therefore ask the public to observe the evacuation zone.” The fire is under control, the fire service said.

The U.S. Environment and Health Agency (EPA) sent experts to Richmond Tuesday night to support local emergency services, including aerial surveillance and material sample examination. US President Joe Biden has offered the governor of Indiana additional federal aid during a telephone call, the White House said Wednesday.

The Biden administration’s crisis management was recently criticized after an accident in Ohio. In early February, several dozen wagons of a freight train derailed in the community of eastern Palestine. Some of them had loaded highly toxic chemicals. To prevent an explosion, these had to be partially emptied and flared. For days a huge cloud of black smoke hung over the place. The residents complained of health problems such as rashes and headaches. (sda/dpa)