Officials Weary Of Second Building Filled With Chemicals In Rochester
ROCHESTER (KDKA) -- The State Department of Environmental Protection is working around the clock to clean up a hazardous chemical site in Rochester.
On July 13, the fire department got calls of smoke at an abandoned building on Sycamore Street in Rochester.
It's believed the roof collapsed, causing the chemicals to mix and ignite.
Residents were ordered to stay in their homes after a chlorine plume rose in the air.
The chemicals have been removed and the building is being demolished, but officials are worried about a second larger building with a partial roof, where more chemicals are being stored.
The DEP is waiting for a report from a structural engineer, which will determine if the building can be entered safely to remove the stored chemicals.
"The problem still exists is that there is still a building down there, in demolition mode, that the DEP is trying to clean up," Rochester Township Fire Department Chief Mike Mamone said. "And this could potentially happen again."
In the last five years, the property owner never reported the chemicals and no one is sure what is inside.
"We aren't going to run into a chemical issue without knowing fire," Mamone said.