August 26, 1999
EPA finishes burying burning tires
By Jefferson Wolfe
Staff Writer
SYCAMORE -- Officials say area residents have seen the last of the giant plume of smoke rising from a tire reclamation facility.
According to Karla M. Auker, on-scene coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the burning pile of tires at Kirby's Tire Recycling was to be completely covered with an initial layer of dirt and sand by Wednesday night. She said it was 90 to 95 percent covered Wednesday afternoon.
The fire started Saturday morning and 18 fire departments were called to battle it. A plume of smoke could be seen Saturday morning as far away as Columbus.
Wednesday was to be the last round-the-clock day for workers at the site, she said. They will be toiling 12-16 hours a day in the future.
Officials say the air and water quality in the area still are being monitored. They report no problems, although there were two discharges into Sycamore Creek, which have been contained.
As long as the fire continues, the monitoring will continue, Mike Gerber from the Ohio EPA said.
Jeff Ritchey from the Wyandot County Health Department said three area wells have already been sampled and 16-20 more are to be sampled Thursday.
"I don't think we see an immediate problem," he said.
Auker said beneath the site is a silty clay soil, which is not very permeable, and will not readily allow any contaminants to filter through the earth.
"It's less likely than if the site was underlaid with sand," she said.
The U.S. EPA has been working with two contractors on the site, Environmental Quality Management from Cincinnati and CMC from Nicholasville, Ky. They have also been working with local labor.
Environmental Quality Management has been the prime subcontractor, while CMC has been the heavy equipment subcontractor. Auker said CMC has a lot of experience in dealing with tire fires.
The state EPA contracted initially with IT Corp. Inc. and the U.S. EPA has also used them. IT Corp. has done some on-site runoff water treatment.
The state also has used the services of Ecology and Environment, which has provided technical assistance, Auker said.
The U.S. Coast Guard has provided the Atlantic Strike Team from Ft. Dix, N.J., which has been providing site security, stream monitoring and has done some health and safety work.
The Ohio Department of Wildlife, the Department of Agriculture, local emergency management personnel and health department from Seneca, Wyandot, Hancock and Crawford counties have participated as well.
To this point, Auker said, the EPA has spent $700,000-$750,000 on the site. She said it is anticipated they will spend another $250,000-$350,000.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture issued a news release advising local residents in a four-mile radius not to let livestock drink from contaminated sources, and to wash food thoroughly and discard any peels.