Evacuations ordered as industrial fire spews "toxic" smoke in Indiana
CBSDec 24, 2022
The Facts
A large fire at an Indiana recycling plant Tuesday afternoon forced all residents within a half-mile of the Richmond, Indiana plant to evacuate, impacting approximately 2,011 people.
Local, state, and federal agencies, including the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are part of the response effort. Firefighters worked quickly to contain the “fast-growing” fire caused by plastics stored on site.
The Spin
Narrative A
The owner of the recycling center that went up in flames is fully responsible for the devastation Richmond has experienced and needs to be held accountable. The city has known for a long time that the plant was a fire hazard, but the negligent business owner refused to address the dangers. While efforts remain focused on remedying the situation, the city of Richmond must hold the business accountable.
Narrative B
It's too early to assign blame in this complex and hazardous situation just yet. Thankfully, there have been no serious injuries, and we should be grateful for the bravery of the town’s firefighters. It is most important to focus on controlling the fire and making sure people in the area are safe. An assessment of potential environmental health and environmental impacts, as well as blame, can be conducted literally once the smoke has cleared.
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