A day after a major fire sparked concerns over air and water contamination in Summerville, the Department of Health and Environmental Control has given the all's clear sign. A crew from DHEC tested water samples, and checked chemical breakdown sheets, to make sure the water in this area is not contaminated.
A fire destroyed the Carpet Care Services and Disaster Care building in Summerville Monday afternoon. Firefighters used 72-thousand gallons of water fighting the fire. The concern was, that water may have washed chemicals into the ditch right behind the business, which dumps into the Ashley River. Owner Al Bradham says around one hundred gallons of cleaning detergent was inside of the building at the time of the fire. He says, "They have no hazardous conditions here at all. We've got some disposals we have to do, but the stuff that we use is just like your dawn dish soap. We have a room designated that we store our cleaning detergents, and different types of cleaning agents we own, and in that room we have a type of mat that absorbs anything that might spill. Normally, its set up to take care of a one gallon spill, but it does absorb any type of product that got out."
DHEC spokesman Thom Berry says tests of run-off water and water in the Sawmill Branch area found P-H and dissolved oxygen levels to be within acceptable limits, and there was no evidence of dead vegetation or fish as a result of run-off of water used to fight Monday's blaze. Bradham says, "They were happy with what they saw. They found no problems here, and they're leaving and that's a good thing."
Berry says, DHEC staff will continue to work with the owner of Carpet Care Services on the disposal of cleaning agents and other materials burned in the fire.
A worker was inside the building when the fire started, fortunately she got out safely. Carpet Care Services is still in business, they moved to the building next door.
The Old Fort Fire Department is in charge of the investigation. They say they took extra precautions because of the type of business they were responding to. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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