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Expert: Heavy metals from Smittys fire spread miles into community
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ROSELAND - Independent testing is confirming what many residents feared after the massive fire at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland: chemicals and metals from the blaze spread well beyond the facility.
Scott Smith, a nationally recognized contamination expert, says his first round of results shows elevated levels of heavy metals in soot samples collected as far as six miles away.
“When I got here that first day, there were kids and dogs running around the yard. I mean, the kids had, like, soot up to their knees,” Smith said. “That’s the most concerning thing I have. What are these people in the community exposed to? They deserve to know.”
Unlike government contractors who tested soot diluted in water, Smith’s team analyzed the soot that fell directly into people’s yards.
“We got the soot samples back today, and we analyzed 30 metals. It appears as though the EPA only analyzed for a handful,” Smith explained.
Smith says his lab results revealed the presence of barium, manganese, lead, and nickel - metals that can be harmful depending on the level of exposure.
“Some of these metals may not be a concern at very low levels,” Smith said. “But some of these levels need further investigation by toxicologists.”
He called the mixture of oil, fumes, and metals unlike anything he has seen in other disaster zones.
“The experience, like Conyers, Georgia, the metals and what is showing up in this soot is a lot more prevalent than what I’ve seen at another location,” Smith said.
Smith and his team of toxicologists are now reviewing what these chemical mixtures could mean for long-term health, particularly for children and pets.
“They all can be a concern based on the levels, the exposure, and the amount of ingestion,” Smith warned.
Residents will have the opportunity to hear directly from Smith during a town hall meeting on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Roseland, where he will present his findings and address community questions.
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