Massive Indiana Plastics Plant Fire Spews Toxins, Forces Evacuations

Firefighters worked for days to extinguish a massive fire at a plastics recycling plant in Richmond, Indiana that released cancer-causing chemicals into the air and surrounding neighborhoods.
The blaze ignited tons of scrap plastics and burned for days, spewing black smoke and forcing 2,000 residents within a half-mile radius to evacuate.
Air testing found hazardous chemicals including asbestos, benzene, hydrogen cyanide and dioxins, some of which were detected more than a mile from the site.
Hazmat crews have begun cleanup but warned residents to avoid contact with debris that fell on their properties until further notice.
The cause remains under investigation, though the plant operator was previously cited for fire hazards and lack of safety mechanisms like fire sprinklers.