Chemical Fire Closes Fort Smith Streets
By: Lisa Brence
Updated: May 22, 2008
Haz-Mat teams swarmed a Fort Smith neighborhood Thursday after a chemical fire. Firefighters say the former Arkansas Plating Company building caught fire Thursday morning, forcing them to block off sections of Albert Pike and Young Street.
Investigators found dangerous chemicals in the empty building, including cyanide. So theyre warning people to stay away from the building and the water left over from putting the fire out.
"Were warning the public, especially children getting out of school. Try to have them stay out of those ditches and the standing water, because the acidity level could cause some skin irritation to them if they were to get in that water," said Tonya Roberts, a representative with Sebastian County Emergency Management.
The Environmental Protection Agency is still testing the area. No word yet on when investigators will know what caused the blaze.
