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A man sprays down the roof of a neighboring building while also filming the scene of a three-alarm fire at Nox-Crete, Inc., 1415 S. 20th St on Monday.
The Nox-Crete building at 1415 S. 20th St. photographed a week after a three-alarm fire on Monday.
Barrels remain at the site the site of Nox-Crete located at 1415 S 20th which burned to the ground on May 30th, 2022.
Cleanup of a burned-out chemical warehouse in midtown Omaha could begin soon as next week now that a major hurdle has been cleared.
Late Thursday, Nox-Crete was told by its insurer that it no longer needed access to the site for its investigations. That's according to documents on file with the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.
Speaking on behalf of Nox-Crete, Ann Pedersen said enough progress has been made to realistically estimate that cleanup could start next week. Pedersen is a vice president at OBI Creative, the Omaha public relations firm that has been retained by Nox-Crete to respond to media inquiries.
The company's warehouse near 20th Street and Woolworth Avenue was engulfed in flames May 30. A noxious black cloud of smoke and soot roiled over the neighborhood, prompting a voluntary evacuation. The fire, its emergency response, and the availability of information has been criticized by those affected.
There are still a few pieces that need to fall into place before cleanup can begin: results are pending from the last batch of environmental testing, as is state approval of the company's cleanup plan.
Cleanup will involve removal of all debris and all remnants of the building, according to documents on file with the state. This includes the concrete slab the warehouse sat on. Soil also will be removed, with future testing guiding the extent of the removal.
B2 Environmental, working on behalf of Nox-Crete, submitted the cleanup plan to the state Friday morning. In response, state environmental regulators said they would review the proposal as soon as possible "so as not to delay cleanup."
The site contains hazardous and nonhazardous waste, according to documents filed with the state.
State officials said they will require Nox-Crete follow all applicable hazardous waste regulations. This will include taking steps to lessen the risk of hazardous materials escaping the site during cleanup.
Per state regulations, a berm and rolls of absorbent are in place to slow and catch runoff from rain.
The city will require that clean up crews control for dust, said Jim Theiler, assistant public works director. This typically includes spraying down the site on dry, windy days. City inspectors also will monitor the cleanup, he said.
According to the cleanup plan, much of the debris will be taken to the Pheasant Point landfill in Douglas County. This includes petroleum-contaminated debris and what the company describes as a trace amount of asbestos roofing materials.
Material that can be recycled, such as metal and plastic, will be taken to a recycler. Some building debris will be taken to a construction landfill.
Some barrels remain within the burned-out warehouse. Materials in those barrels will be tested for volatile organic compounds and dealt with accordingly, based on whether they meet hazardous thresholds.
A public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Kathy Bossman, assistant chief with the Omaha Fire Department, speaks during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Jodi Hillhouse, of Omaha, asks questions during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Quinn Hejlik, an Omaha resident, asks questions during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Lindsay Huse, the Douglas County Health Director, speaks during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Joe Giitter, of Omaha, asks questions during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Juanita Johnson, council member for District 2, asks questions during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Roger Garcia, Douglas County commissioner for District 1, speaks during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Kathy Bossman, assistant chief with the Omaha Fire Department, speaks during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Tom Buell, with the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, speaks during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Kimara Snipes, president of the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance, asks questions during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
Paul Johnson, with the Douglas County Emergency Management Agency, speaks, during a public information meeting following the Monday night three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Wednesday night.
nancy.gaarder@owh.com, twitter.com/gaarder
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Nancy Gaarder helps cover public safety and weather events as an editor on The World-Herald's breaking news desk. Follow her on Twitter @gaarder. Email: nancy.gaarder@owh.com
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A man sprays down the roof of a neighboring building while also filming the scene of a three-alarm fire at Nox-Crete, Inc., 1415 S. 20th St on Monday.
The Nox-Crete building at 1415 S. 20th St. photographed a week after a three-alarm fire on Monday.
Barrels remain at the site the site of Nox-Crete located at 1415 S 20th which burned to the ground on May 30th, 2022.
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