SPS fire continues to burn, building needs to be partially demolished, officials say
Schools are reopening on Thursday after being closed for several days due to air quality concerns.
ABINGTON TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- The fire at SPS Technologies continues to burn Thursday as the Montgomery County community tries to return to a sense of normalcy after the massive industrial blaze.
Officials provided an update Thursday afternoon, saying they are working to extinguish hotspots and begin their investigation, but they said that to do so, they will have to demolish part of the building. That will begin on Friday.
Highland Avenue remains closed, and people are being told to avoid the area and to not go anywhere near the site, warning that anyone who does will be cited for trespassing.
Officials are also telling residents that if they find any debris near their homes, to not touch it and to call 911 immediately. They said that if it's on a car or blocking an entryway into your home, you may use gloves but advise to not and instead wait for crews to arrive.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection says it is testing the air for six chemicals: Particulate matter (PM 10, 4, 2.5) Hydrogen Cyanide, Chlorine, Volatile Organic Compounds, Hydrogen Sulfide and Sulfuric Acid.
So far, "air quality monitors have not detected any chemicals of concern in the air outside of the facility," the DEP said.
Drinking water supplies are not at risk. Testing conducted in nearby creeks and the Delaware River does not have any dangerous chemicals, officials added.
"Most of the chemicals were stored in a separate building that was not impacted by the explosion or the subsequent fire. Thanks to the great work and the decisions made at the onset of this fire, these chemicals were not involved," said Patrick Molloy, Chief of Abington Township Police.
Abington Township declared a Disaster Emergency on Wednesday, as crews work around the clock and residents head back to their homes.
Schools reopened Thursday after being closed for several days due to air quality concerns. One of those schools, Cheltenham High School, served as a temporary shelter during voluntary evacuation. Abington School District is also welcoming back students.
Neighbors of SPS Technologies returned to their homes in Abington Township and Jenkintown on Wednesday after evacuations were lifted, but some did not stay long.
"We have air scrubbers in our house already. They're trying to decontaminate any particles or chemicals that may have been in our house," said Yvonne Yeomans, of Abington Twp. "Out of precaution, we're moving to an extended stay facility probably until Friday or Sunday at the latest."
Authorities don't know the cause of the massive fire that broke out around 9:43 p.m. on Monday, which as of Wednesday night was still considered active.
"When you look at the size of this building, some 500 thousand square feet and multilayers the difficulty to access our firefighters out in that weather and with equipment, it's very difficult for them to completely extinguish this fire," Molloy said.
SPS, an aerospace industry manufacturer and supplier, employs hundreds of people and has operated out of the site for more than a century.
Air and water quality continues to be tested, which officials say are safe.
"We stopped at Home Depot, and we got air filters and a purifier, and we are going to run that in the house," said Matej Korzeniowski. "We've been trying to keep everything shut but, honestly, I don't know. There's still a lot of questions -- a lot of uncertainty."
The City of Philadelphia conducted its own tests and determined residents were not exposed to chemicals or air toxins, and also said the drinking water was not contaminated. The tests will continue around the initial site and nearby communities.
"This monitoring will not stop in any shape or form at least weeks or months in Cheltenham Township," Jenkintown Chief Tom Scott said.
As investigators work to determine how the fire started, there are more looming questions about the fate of SPS' hundreds of jobs.
A website has also been established by Abington Township, where residents can go to for updates.
Two years ago, SPS Technologies had to pay a fine of $109,000 to the EPA, for failing to properly dispose of and store hazardous waste, as well as failure to have a clear contingency plan for evacuation.
SPS Technologies has established a community hotline for questions, comments or concerns. Residents can call 215-572-3326 or email contactSPS@ppcairframe.com.
