Residents are allowed to return to their homes after a fire and explosion at an Akron chemical plant forced evacuation

AKRON, Ohio — Several residential neighborhoods in the Firestone Park neighborhood were evacuated Thursday afternoon following a fire and explosion at a chemical plant.

Residents were allowed to return to their homes around 8:30 p.m. after the evacuation order was issued around 3 p.m. Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was on the scene at Koki Laboratories, 1081 Rosemary Blvd., and the air was at normal levels despite still lingering smoke.

The fire broke out shortly after 1 p.m., Malik said during an afternoon news conference. When firefighters arrived, there was heavy smoke and flames coming from the back of the building, said fire district chief Sierjie Lash. She added that employees had already evacuated the building.

A small explosion around 3 p.m. prompted the decision to evacuate residents within about a half-mile radius of the fire, Lash said. He added that officials were concerned about the structural integrity of the building.

“Our main concern is getting people out of the evacuation zone because of the risk of fire and possible explosion,” Malik said during the press conference. “At this point there is no concern about air quality or chemicals for people outside the evacuation zone.”

Although chemicals including methanol, propane and xylene were present in the building, Lash said emergency workers did not believe the smoke would endanger nearby residents unless they had underlying health conditions. However, a hazardous materials unit was called to the scene.

Malik said evacuated residents were allowed to stay at three nearby community centers and were provided with food and water by the Red Cross until they were allowed to return to their homes.

Malik said one firefighter was taken to a hospital for treatment of a minor injury. Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the fire.