Richmond, Indiana, firefighters continued on Saturday to deal with hot spots and flare ups at the site of a massive recycling warehouse fire.
Officials also implored people to stay out of the half-mile radius evacuation zone as air monitoring has detected chemicals and debris clean up is underway.
The massive industrial fire that started Tuesday, April 11, is under control but is still expected to continue smoldering and producing smoke, soot, or a burnt plastic smell for several more days.
Cooler temperatures late last week led to more ground level smoke in the city of 35,000 people on the Ohio-Indiana border.
More than 1,000 people there remain unable to return home under an evacuation order. Thousands more have been told to shelter in place or leave the area if they see or smell smoke.
Christine Stinson, with the Wayne County, Indiana, health department, said she's heard reports of people who have returned to the evacuation zone and experienced health problems.
"We've had people call that have said that they were walking around in the evacuation zone, and now they're vomiting and they have a sore throat and their head is pounding," Stinson said Friday.
The Red Cross is operating a free shelter for displaced residents at a local church. The city is subsidizing stays at nearby hotels for people who live in the evacuation zone. Food banks are assisting residents. A local boarding business is also watching dogs for free.
The city of Richmond has set up a community help line to get access to those services at 765-973-9300.
Local, state and federal environmental agencies continue to monitor air, water and debris from the blaze. As of Friday, the EPA has set up a monitoring headquarters in Richmond where they can test and analyze samples.
The U.S. EPA announced that they had discovered new compounds at the response command post, located around the center of the evacuation zone. Specifically, EPA air monitors have detected hydrogen cyanide (HCN), benzene, chlorine and carbon monoxide, all products of combustion expected from a plastics fire.
Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds have also been detected.
The EPA said it alerted the fire department immediately following the detections of HCN and benzene so they could take worker safety precautions.
The newly detected compounds may have been the result of a flare-up in the fire, Jason Sewell with the U.S. EPA said Friday.
"The fire department jumped on extinguishing the hot spot and that abated," Sewell said. "We didn't detect it the rest of the night."
On Saturday, EPA contractors in protective suits started collecting debris from school yards in Indiana and across the border in Ohio.
After schools are cleared, the EPA said contractors will begin removing debris from residential properties, parks, and businesses. They will also use drones to inspect roofs for debris.
"We will be taking requests voluntarily from residents if they would like their yard inspected and debris collected if present," Sewell said.
Falling debris might have asbestos in it, so Sewell said residents should leave it alone—and not mow over it— until EPA crews can come to their residence.
A portal for Ohio residents affected by the fire in Darke and Preble counties is also now available.
Richmond leaders have said their goal is to get people back into their homes as soon as possible. They plan to meet Sunday to evaluate air and water samples, and from that meeting, a determination will be made about lifting the evacuation order.
"Every time we see a flare up, we see a little more smoke," Richmond Mayor Dave Snow said. "We want that to stop. Then our attention can turn to how we're going to clean this up. But we want to get people back in their homes. They need to get back to their lives, and so that's that's where our attention is right now."
Chris Welter is a reporter and corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms.
