Indiana fire at recycling plant prompts evacuation of more than 2,000 residents
Wayne County EMA said the evacuation order applied to residents and persons within 0.5 miles of the fire.
The Indiana recycling plant that prompted the evacuation of more than 2,000 residents following a large fire had been cited in the past for being "unsafe," according to the Richmond fire chief.
Fire Chief Tim Brown told Fox News Digital Wednesday the plant had previously been issued a citation on the basis of "unsafe building and unsafe grounds." It is unclear whether additional citations have been issued to the building's owner.
Brown told WHIO the fire was something the department had been anticipating for some time. He told the outlet the buildings were full of plastic from "floor to ceiling, wall to wall" along with a number of semi-trailers.
"It wasn’t if, it’s just when," Brown told WHIO.
INDIANA FIRE AT RECYCLING PLANT PROMPTS EVACUATION OF MORE THAN 2,000 RESIDENTS
Firefighters continue to pour water on an industrial fire in Richmond, Indiana, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Authorities urged people to evacuate if they live near the fire. The former factory site was used to store plastics and other materials for recycling or resale. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Brown also said fire crews and the city had been pushing for a cleanup of the building for some time prior to the fire.
The fire broke out Tuesday at the former Hoffco factory, which closed in 2009, Indiana State Police said, in the city of Richmond, about 70 miles east of Indianapolis and near Ohio’s western border.
Wayne County Emergency Management issued an update late Tuesday maintaining the half-mile evacuation radius and prompting residents to continue to shelter in place while "keeping windows and doors closed, turning off HVAC units if they draw outside air, and keeping pets inside."
INDIANA-OHIO BORDER CITY EVACUATED DUE TO FIRE
Richmond Mayor Dave Snow also tweeted late Tuesday saying operations would be continuing into overnight hours and a bus would be available for evacuation purposes.
"I am staying in contact with our Fire Department, Police Department, and Wayne County Emergency Management Agency, and will continue to relay information as it is available," Snow wrote.
Richmond Community Schools posted Wednesday that classes were canceled for both students and teachers.
Smoke rises from an industrial fire April 11, 2023, in Richmond. (Zach Piatt/Palladium-Item-USA Today Network)
"There will be no e-learning and everyone is encouraged to follow the shelter in place order instituted by our EMA. Faculty and staff are not required to work from home and are not permitted to be in their school buildings," Richmond Community Schools wrote in a notice on their website.
The fire broke out Tuesday at the former Hoffco factory, which closed in 2009. (Zach Piatt/USA Today Network)
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Wayne County EMA specified Wednesday that Oak Park Pentecostal Church would serve as a shelter for displaced residents. Staffers and American Red Cross members would be present to assist. Bethesda Worship Center offered temporary shelter for people forced out of their homes Tuesday, while other agencies were trying to arrange hotel rooms if necessary.
Fox News' Bradford Betz and Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
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