Environment

DPNR In Discussions With EPA And H.H. Tire & Battery Owners On Cleanup Efforts Following Fire

ST. CROIX -- The Department of Planning and Natural Resources said via press release on Friday that it has been in discussions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the owners of H.H. Tire & Battery in regards to cleanup efforts following the fire that burned down the company's Castle Coakley facility. "Until such time as the investigation and environmental assessment is complete, D.P.N.R. recommends that residents who continue to experience difficulties with respect to respiratory and/or other health related issues to seek medical attention," D.P.N.R. said. Residents who reside near the H.H. Tire & Battery facility reported breathing issues, as well as unusable cistern water, since the smoke and particles that it carried from the burned tires, batteries, oils and other combustible products blackened their roofs. The department urged residents residing in neighboring communities to vent enclosed spaces and fabrics that tend to trap odors, and particulate matter that ar...