Akron HAZMAT fire raises concerns over chemical knowledge

AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) - A concerning development emerged in Akron Friday as the city revealed two additional chemicals, ether and ethanol, were involved in Thursday’s fire at the SMB Products facility.

This revelation raises serious questions about whether officials had a full understanding of the potential hazards they were facing.

RELATED STORY: Cause of massive HAZMAT fire in Akron under investigation; firefighters remain on scene

19 Investigates’ Gabby Hart has been following the story since the fire broke out and provides a deeper look into the situation.

19 News was the first station on the scene, and immediately spoke with Public Information Officer Lieutenant Joel Price.

“Nothing in the air to worry about,” Price assured them at the time.

When Hart questioned him on how he could be so certain, he explained the ins and outs of their HAZMAT truck.

At the time, Price also admitted he wasn’t sure what the plant manufactured.

Reporting Chemicals

19 News has since learned that businesses in Akron are required to report hazardous chemicals they store to the Fire Division and Health Department every year.

This means the city should have had a complete list of what was inside the building, including the ether and ethanol only revealed a day later.

Akron’s municipal code is clear: businesses must provide detailed safety data sheets outlining potential health effects and emergency procedures.

The Health Department even conducts inspections to ensure compliance.

Air Quality and Lingering Concerns

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is conducting air quality tests, which are currently showing normal toxicity levels. However, concerns remain about lingering vapor fumes, which reportedly traveled as far as Cleveland.

Unanswered Questions

“The question is: Did the city have that chemical information readily available when they responded to the fire?” Hart questioned. “If not, why? And what does this mean for the safety of first responders and residents?”

We reached out to Akron city officials, and they sent the following statement: “SMB Products provided us the SDS (safety data sheet) information for the products at the facility so, yes, our crews and leadership had access to the information they needed to respond appropriately. " - City Of Akron