AVON, Ohio — A hazmat situation at a sustainable waste solutions company in Avon, which impacted businesses, traffic, and schools, is over.
As a precaution, authorities evacuated businesses on Schneider Court near JCPenney, according to the Avon Police Department.
The Avon Fire Department held a news conference where Fire Chief David Swope discussed the situation.
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Swope said Reworld Sustainable Waste Company called the fire department around 9 a.m. regarding a chemical release.
The Fire Department initially responded to the incident as an industrial fire, but it was later determined to be a chemical release with no flames. When crews arrived, they spotted a vapor cloud in the area. The hazmat team was then called in to investigate.
Swope did not provide the name of the chemical released, but said the hazmat team had that information and was handling the situation. He said it doesn't appear that any acids or corrosives were released to the atmosphere, but as a precaution, the fire department evacuated a larger area; the chemical release was getting smaller over time.
No injuries were reported, Swope said.
Earlier, the Avon Police Department posted on Facebook that no further evacuations were needed.
"Preliminary information indicates there was a small chemical reaction inside the facility, resulting in a limited release that affected only the immediate surrounding area. Based on current assessments, no additional evacuations are necessary at this time," Avon Police said in a Facebook post.
Further testing will be done to determine the cause of the chemical release, Swope said.
Schneider Court is the only road that is currently closed.
Avon Local Schools said that students at Heritage Elementary and East Elementary would remain indoors during recess, but the hazmat situation did not directly impact the schools.
