Last Hazmat Removed from Site of September Plant Fire

Removal of the last 10 drums of hazardous material identified as potentially dangerous from the devastated Lubrizol plant site in Rouen, France, should happen within the next few days, a regional government official stated at a press conference Monday.

The 10 sensitive drums are included in a final lot of 135 to be removed for treatment or storage elsewhere, said Pierre-André Durand, prefect of Normandy. The massive Sept. 26 fire left 1,389 such drum on site, including 166 judged to be potentially dangerous.

“All of the barrels will have been released from the site by the end of January,” Durand said.

Durand spoke following a legislative committee meeting investigating government transparency in the wake of the massive fire that destroyed more than 9,500 tons of chemicals at two adjoining plant facilities.