EPA: 1st phase of Indiana plant cleanup nearly done - Fox 28: South Bend, Elkhart IN News, Weather, Sports

Federal officials say crews have nearly finished initial cleanup work at a vacant northern Indiana plant hit by a September chemical fire.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Friday that crews will complete the first phase of their cleanup next week at the Baycote Metal Finishing site in Mishawaka. The EPA began a federally-supervised cleanup at the former chrome-plating and metal-finishing plant in May.

Since then, about 84,000 gallons of hazardous chemicals and metals have been removed.

A September chemical fire at the site temporarily forced thousands of Mishawaka residents from their homes. That fire began when a contractor placed chemicals too close together at the site.

Crews are suspending work at the plant site for the winter, but will resume the cleanup in the spring.

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