Indiana Recycling Plant Fire: Evacuation Order Evaluation and Health Concerns Remain.
Officials in Richmond, Indiana are set to evaluate air and water samples on Saturday to determine when it will be safe for hundreds of residents to return home after a plastics recycling plant fire forced evacuation orders. The fire, which began on Tuesday, has largely been reduced to hotspots and flare-ups by Thursday. Potentially harmful contaminants have been found in air samples taken within the half-mile evacuation zone, including hydrogen cyanide, benzene, chlorine, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds. Particulate matter has also been found inside and outside the evacuation zone. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but local leaders have expressed concerns about the facility's hazards and building code violations since 2019.