Hazardous Debris Cleanup Continues at Deadly Blast Site in Clinton Township, MI

Crews working to clean up the site of a deadly explosion of a former smoke and vape shop in Clinton Township say they are making “good progress” and expect to complete the process later this fall.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is the middle of a cleanup of the former Goo Smoke Shop and Select Distributors located near the corner of 15 Mile & Groesbeck Highway. The building exploded on March 4 because of thousands of nitrous oxide and butane cans that officials say were illegally stored inside.

As a crew started working to remove hazardous waste and other debris in late August, federal regulators said the process would probably take about take about 100 days to complete.

“EPA is making good progress and anticipates meeting the expected 100 on-site working days,” EPA spokesperson Allison Lippert recently said in a statement to the Macomb Daily.

The March 4 explosion and subsequent fire rocked central Macomb County and sent debris up flying for miles. One of an estimated 1,000 metal canisters at the scene fatally struck a 19-year-man and another injured a township firefighter.

As of Oct. 28, the effort has resulted in more than 1 million pounds of debris from the burned-out structure being removed, according to the EPA:

* More than 135 tons (298,000 pounds) of ferrous metal has been recycled

* 632 tons (1.39 million pounds) of building debris has been disposed of

* 6,600 steel compressed gas cylinders (CGS) and 7,900 aluminum CGS have been collected

* Some 4,700,000 grams of nitrus oxide have been de-gassed

In addition, the EPA has collected 14,200 lithium-ion battery devices, 1,300 loose lithium-ion batteries, and 64,300 lithium battery devices that were not damaged or defective from the co-mingled explosion debris within the footprint and immediate exterior of the former warehouse.

“EPA continues to conduct perimeter air and particulate monitoring during all intrusive activities at fixed cardinal locations and intermittent mobile air and particulate monitoring between stationary locations,” the agency said their statement.

Cleanup operations will take several months. The estimated cost is $2.7 million.

In May, the EPA conducted an initial cleanup to de-gas and recycle 3,600 intact compressed gas cylinders, and to remove three 55-gallon drums of lithium-ion batteries.

Goo Smoke Shop was used as a wholesale distributor of vape pens, CBD products, hookahs, lighters and other novelty items, the EPA said.

Last week, a hearing for the business owner, Noor Kestou of Commerce Township, was adjourned until Dec. 3 in 41B District Court.

Kestou, 32, is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Turner Salter, 19, who was hit in the head by flying debris. Kestou’s attorney, James Thomas, told the judge that a criminal investigation by the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( ATF) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is still ongoing.

As result, Thomas said, he needs additional time to gather information relating to evidence that has been collected.

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