Thick, dark smoke from a junkyard fire in Grays Ferry rolled across parts of Southwest Philadelphia on Thursday, triggering a health advisory and sending neighbors scrambling to shut their windows. The plume was visible across the immediate area and quickly raised air-quality concerns for people living nearby.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health urged residents in the Grays Ferry area to steer clear of the scene or stay inside, keep windows and doors closed, and set air systems to recirculate indoor air instead of pulling smoky air from outside. Health department inspectors were on site collecting air samples and testing local air quality, according to NBC10 Philadelphia.
What the health department recommends
Officials advised people to remain indoors as much as possible while smoke lingers and to skip strenuous outdoor activities like jogging. Residents with heart or lung conditions were told to watch for symptoms such as trouble breathing, nausea, and dizziness, and to seek medical care if those symptoms show up, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.
How to get city alerts
The city pushes out emergency messages through its ReadyPhiladelphia system. Neighbors can sign up for text alerts by texting READYPHILA to 888-777 or by visiting the Office of Emergency Management's ReadyPhiladelphia page to set their alert preferences. The system can target messages to specific locations so people near a fire or other incident get timely warnings, according to ReadyPhiladelphia.
Why this matters
Junkyard fires can release fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a type of pollution that can aggravate asthma and heart disease and push local air readings into unhealthy territory. In one recent case, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported PM2.5 levels spiking well above the EPA's 24-hour standard during a junkyard blaze, and reporting by WHYY has raised questions about how quickly residents receive health guidance when these incidents happen.
As of 6:30 p.m., the health department said there was "no known hazard" in the air, but samples were still being collected out of an abundance of caution, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. Anyone who develops breathing trouble, dizziness, or nausea after being exposed to smoke is urged to seek medical care and to call 911 in an emergency.
