Safety concerns rise following 2 chemical fires in Yonkers
A beauty supply warehouse on two separate days had chemical fires, sending smoke into the nearby residential area.
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Yonkers residents and fire officials gathered on Friday to address safety concerns following two chemical fires on Friday - one on Sept. 2, and one this past Saturday, both located at Beauty Supply Warehouse on Woodworth Avenue.
The beauty supply warehouse on two separate days had chemical fires, sending smoke into the nearby residential area.
Many on Sept. 2 and this past Saturday expressed concerns with the smoke and the effects it could pose in the long term.
"It's burning up. Us inhaling it, we don't want any health issues in the future," said Yonkers resident Eusebia Pena on Saturday.
During Wednesday's meetings, concerns erupted with many residents questioning not only the air quality, but environmental concerns.
One key question being if the soil or local waterways were impacted.
"We can either have storm drains that empty directly either into the Hudson, the Bronx River, some of the other waterways around us....We have what's called combination systems where the rainwater runs into the sanitary sewers, and then we also have sanitary sewers. In this case, we had the sanitary sewers on Ravine Avenue, and we verified that with the Sewage Treatment Plant on Ludlow Street that all the water run off was going into there, versus going into the river. So, once the water does reach the sewer treatment plant, it is treated before it is put out into the river," said Commissioner Fitzpatrick regarding the runoff process.
Commissioner Fitzpatrick also confirmed the soil will be tested when a new development begins.
Fire officials have maintained that the air was periodically checked during both incidents.
