Landfill fire in Chester County burns on
The one exception is smoke from the still-raging fire.
Firefighters from five counties worked for days with state and federal assistance to get the fire in the
Store owner
"It's hurt our breakfast business," he said, because customers don't want to come through the haze to get into the store. "They can't stand the smoke. We put tape on the door back here to keep the smoke out of the inside, but the exhaust fan sucks it right in."
Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water were poured over the landfill after the flames erupted
"I went to the doctor in January, and she listened to my lungs, and she listened and listened, and said, 'I've never heard that before... You've got asthma,' " Ray said.
Ray now goes back to the doctor monthly for updates on her condition, but says she can't get her insurance company to cover her prescribed inhaler medication. Poulos likewise says a doctor told him the smoke likely contributed to a sinus infection and sore throat. He now suffers from frequent coughs and a persistent nose bleed.
Since firefighters brought the surface fire under control,
"DHEC says just stay indoors as much as possible," Poulos said, driving his pick-up across his rolling acreage. "But you don't want to stay inside out here."
These monitors are two of seven set up around the area either by DHEC or the federal
Two weeks ago,
"It's terrible," said Mayor
"The concentrations can change a lot," Reynolds said. "You might have a very high concentration for an hour or two here at city hall, before the wind picks up and disperses it."
Officials and residents are most concerned about the content of those particulates. While the air monitors don't scan for particular chemicals or toxins, the sign outside the
"What's burning is most likely wood, but it's all the other stuff we're worried about," Reynolds said. "The asbestos will not burn, and that won't carry off-site. The
Poulos says the firefighters "just quit" on putting out the fire completely, but local agencies have done all they can to get the fire out and federal intervention will be required to stop the smoke entirely, says
"I know it's annoying, and there are health concerns with breathing issues," Darby said, "But what we have there now, we can't fix. That's why we need the federal superfunds."
The areas where smoke is still escaping from the underground fire need to be sealed, which is potentially very expensive. The
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In the meantime, local agencies are working to ensure the issue stays on federal regulators' radar. "We're doing everything we can to not let this go away," Darby said.
Poulos says he's contacted state and federal lawmakers about the landfill, but feels he's gotten the run-around. Staffers from U.S. Sen.
Mulvaney, an Indian Land Republican, represents
"We don't know who's in charge," Poulos said.
DHEC's flier also lays responsibility on the landfill itself for addressing the issue. "DHEC is taking legal action to compel both the landfill permit holder and the property owner to permanently close the landfill," it reads. "To date, the landfill permit holder has not closed the landfill or made efforts to extinguish the fire. DHEC's pursuit of holding the landfill owner accountable for his obligations under the permit is ongoing."
Owners of the
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