OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — It was just about 80 days ago when a warehouse, full of thousands of pounds of various toxic chemicals and acids, burned down at Nox-Crete in downtown Omaha.
The Omaha Fire Department said they were unable to determine the cause of the fire. Nox-Crete later released a full list of chemicals inside and the long-term impacts for those who possibly inhaled the chemicals may never be known.
For the last few months, little has been happening at the site, but it now appears clean-up can start soon.
Documents from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy indicate that cleanup is halted right now for two reasons.
For one, they’re waiting for a decision from MUD on the water supply. Once they get that approval, they'll wait on a permit from the City of Omaha.
Jim Theiler with the Public Works Department tells 3 News Now that Nox-Crete has talked to the city about a permit, but hasn’t filed yet.
Nonetheless, Nox-Crete said they expect to start cleanup early next week.
As for what that looks like, Paul Davis Restoration is managing the cleanup and they said corporate policy bars them from elaborating to the media.
Older documents showed that the waste will largely be going to landfills, with labels such as "petroleum contaminated waste" or "construction and demolition waste" on the different materials.
Other items like steel will be recycled.
Officials with the state will be present, according to the documents, with promises that the cleanup will follow all city, state and federal regulations.
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