Ohio EPA on site of deadly factory explosion in Oakwood Village

OAKWOOD VILLAGE, Ohio (WOIO) - The Ohio EPA is on the ground at the I. Schumann & Co factory in Oakwood Village to assist with clean up.

The deadly explosion at the metal manufacturing plant killed one and left 12 others injured.

Oakwood Fire Department Captain Brian DiRocco said the people who were hospitalized are recovering.

“I did hear there are still a couple at Metro but I don’t know their condition or where they’re at in their treatment, but most of the people have since been released from the hospital,” DiRocco said.

The state EPA is working to minimize the effects of any possibly harmful chemicals that were released into the environment.

“Additional earthen berms were placed at strategic points around the facility to eliminate runoff from the inside of the building and direct runoff to a low area being used for water retention during the cleanup process,” a spokesperson for the Ohio EPA said. “A vacuum truck is active at the site to recover the runoff and place it into mobile storage tanks for proper disposal at a later date.”

The state EPA said it will also coordinate clean up efforts with the responsible party.

“Ohio EPA continues to work with environmental contractors on scene to develop a water and sediment sampling strategy for the waterways impacted from firefighting water and rainwater,” a spokesperson for the Ohio EPA said.

The Cleveland Department of Public Health is assisting with air quality testing.

The department told 19 News two air monitors are in the area of the blast. They should have results from their samples within the next week.

They said I. Schumann & Co is also helping with air testing.

The Ohio State Fire Marshalls are leading the investigation into what caused this explosion.

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