RICHMOND, Indiana — Thursday, April 11, 2024 marks one year since a massive fire in Richmond destroyed a plastics recycling plant and sent toxic fumes into the air for days.
Today, that community is still feeling the effects of that fire.
Thousands of people had to be evacuated as the fire at the former My Way Trading Warehouse facility spewed toxic, black smoke into the air.
Even more residents had to shelter in place and turn off their HVAC systems, and an air quality alert was issued in Wayne and Randolph counties.
Schools in the area were closed for several days. Smoke and debris was even picked up on a NOAA satellite more than 22,000 miles away.
One firefighter suffered minor injuries that day, but fortunately, no one else was hurt.
"So many people were affected by this," said Cassandra Brown, the pastor of New Beginnings of Life Ministries. "People lost things. It's sad. It's just eyesores in our city. I love Richmond. I love where I live, but let's take care of our city, and let's do it right."
As for the good news, most of the cleanup has gone well, the city reports. There's almost nothing left at the site today, inside a gated lot.
Richmond Mayor Ron Oler said the EPA removed more than 6,000 tons of debris from the property, and about 850 tons of steel were saved, cleaned and recycled.
Now, the city is looking ahead to what's next, with the property back in its hands.
"Something will go back in there that will be a better neighbor to the neighborhood," Oler said.
Only a smoke stack is left in the lot now. Oler told 13News there is still no final report about what caused the fire.
The section next door to where the former My Way Trading warehouse stood remains an eyesore, and Oler said the city has sent legal documents to the owners' attorneys to remove the debris from the site, but are still waiting.
That's causing frustration for many residents.
While they wait, the city remains focused on replacing the site with something better.