First up, Parkersburg, WV
Less sanitized (and less sourced) information from this Imgur post.Wood County is under a state of emergency as an industrial fire continues to burn at a warehouse just outside Parkersburg city limits. Gov. Jim Justice joined state and county officials to discuss ongoing efforts to put the fire out and to address residents’ health concerns.
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County Commissioner Blair Couch said that a warehouse owner handed Stewart a three-ring binder of material safety data sheets. Couch and other officials said that information is outdated and, thus, may not accurately reflect the materials stored at the facility as of Saturday, when the fire began.
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Gov. Jim Justice said at a Tuesday morning news conference that air-quality testing from the West Virginia Department of Environmental shows that 150 air samples are below a 1,000 parts per million threshold when tested for carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, chlorine and ammonium.
A representative for the state Department of Environmental Protection said those monitors had at one time been placed right next to the blaze. He said those readings detected levels higher than the 1,000 ppm level and were repositioned to more accurately reflect the air quality being consumed by the community.
County officials have also contracted Arkansas-based environmental consultants Center for Toxicology, Environment & Health to monitor air quality.
Justice and others promised continued attention to air quality to assure residents there are no threats to public health or safety.
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According to DEP-issued consent orders, Intercontinental Export Import, Inc. has been cited in March 2015 for failing to provide monthly water pollution reports to state regulators. According to its website, IEI is a subsidiary of Sirnaik. The West Virginia Secretary of State's office has a "Warehousing and Storage" company chartered in Wood County under the name Surnaik Holdings of WV, LLC.
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In a Monday evening news conference, officials from the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office said in 2008 there was an operational sprinkler system at the facility. Officials were unsure of the status of the sprinkler system at the time of the fire.
This ash cloud has been bellowing from the fire since the beginning and the ash has been found over 40 miles away. People who breathe in the ash and smoke for as little as half an hour have issues with breathing, burning skin, eyes, and throat. Residents are also reporting headaches and nausea. A lot of people have been hospitalized for acute chemical pneumonitis.