Last updated on Feb. 21, 8 a.m.
JENKINTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Crews are still taming hotspots at the SPS Technologies aerospace supplier factory in Abington Township that went up in flames earlier this week. Officials stressed that testing has shown the air and drinking water to be safe for residents. While there is a little more normalcy in the surrounding area, some neighbors are still concerned.
A ladder truck continued to blast water at the middle of the enormous warehouse on Highland Avenue early Thursday morning.
“This is a large structure, approximately 600,000 square feet, requiring demolition crews, firefighters and engineers to work together to safely access and extinguish these remaining hot spots,” Abington Police Chief Patrick Molloy told reporters on Thursday.
In addition, Molloy said, structural engineers say the building is in danger of collapse. “This is an extremely dangerous area. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic is prohibited. ... SPS and our emergency management team are bringing in heavy equipment and securing the area with fencing and other fixed barricades."
Molloy said the majority of chemicals at the site were stored in a building that firefighters were able to spare from fire. Now, SPS is moving those chemicals off-site.
Philadelphia officials said city residents were not exposed to chemicals or air toxins, and they have given residents the all-clear to return to their homes and work.
“The most pressing concerns for all of us is the air quality and the possible contamination of the water systems,” Molloy said. “The data collected with monitoring equipment has not detected levels of contaminants of public concern. Aqua Water has also advised us that there is no risk to the drinking water.”
Residents near the facility who evacuated have been returning since the shelter-in-place and voluntary evacuation orders were lifted at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
“Our house really did smell awful,” Abby Forrester told NBC10. “I know that there are no chemicals in the air or anything, but just the smoke in our house and everything, it’s pretty bad. We’re actually going out to get air purifiers and gonna clean and wipe everything down in my house just in case.”
Candace Marcolina and her two dogs fled earlier this week to stay with family miles away, and now they are back.
“The odor has gotten so much better,” she said after returning home. “The odor was really bad. Had headaches the first day. It was like a rubbery, chemically smell and it was going in through the house.”
Marcolina works at the Lightbridge Academy day care center, located across the street from SPS Technologies. It reopened on Thursday.
The Abington and Cheltenham school districts also reopened on Thursday. However, the Jenkintown School District opted for virtual learning so school buildings could be deep-cleaned. The Jenkintown School District reopened Friday but said virtual learning was still an option, as some families may have evacuated out of the area or even the state earlier in the week. Virtual learning will also be permitted on Monday and Tuesday.
According to Fire Marshal Chris Platz, investigators are expecting to take several weeks to determine the cause of the fire.
Molloy said anyone who finds debris should call 911 and not touch that debris.
Updates continue to be provided at the township website: abingtonpa.gov/SPSupdates.
In a statement, SPS Technologies said, “We regret the significant impact the fire has had on our neighbors. … We are working to understand the extent of the damage and its impact on our business.”
The company set up a hotline for residents who have questions or concerns. They can call 215-572-3326 or email ContactSPS@pccairframe.com.