This article originally provided by WV Metro News

May 7, 2006

Dirty Water Goes Into Kanawha River

Staff
Nitro

Environmental experts say they didn't like the idea, but there was very little they could do other than pump contaminated water into the Kanawha River. That water was used in the fighting of a fire at U.S. Tire Recovery in Nitro Thursday night and Friday morning.

DEP Spokesperson Jessica Greathouse says a call had to be made. "The water was waist-deep in some places, says Greathouse. "The firefighters were having trouble getting closer to the fire, so it was being pumped to the river."

The DEP staged personnel on the river in boats to monitor catching devices aimed at limiting the number of contaminants that escaped into the waterway.

Greathouse says, "There was no real alternative. The best thing we could do was put out collective booms to collect as many contaminants as possible."

The pumping operations have since ended. The DEP remains on the Kanawha River to monitor the impact of the water on the river. Inspectors will also oversee the demolition of the building. The roof of the structure collapsed and left thousands of the tires smoldering under a layer of concrete debris. That must be pulled apart and doused to extinguish hot spots.