After a shelter-in-place advisory gripped a southern Indiana county due to a chemical fire on Saturday, the order has been lifted, shifting focus to the environmental and community impact of the blaze. WTHR reported that the investigation is afoot, following the fire at PBTT Corp., which summoned the Ohio Township Fire Department to 5622 Vann Road at about 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, just northeast of Newburgh in Warrick County.
Details on the incident further revealed by WISHTV explain that magnesium and other chemicals fueled the conflagration at the manufacturing facility, known for supplying plated finished goods to industries including firearms, aerospace, and automotive, as it began around 3:20 p.m. Eastern time and burned for hours.
The aftermath raised concerns about the potential hazards of the dispersed ash, deemed "very caustic" by officials. In a revealing statement obtained by Courier & Press, Nicholas Carr, the director of the Southwest Regional Office of Air Quality at IDEM, mentioned prior violations by PBTT Corp. in an August 9, 2024, letter which hinted at formal sanctions for any future infractions, yet no legal action was taken against the corporation for past issues.
