Firefighter turnout gear and equipment damaged or destroyed at an explosion in Marengo will be replaced by Iowa Homeland Security.
The agency will spend about $600,000 to replace gear for more than 20 departments that responded to the blast at the plant operated by C6-Zero, The Gazette reported.
Some of the turnout gear has diesel fuel as well as a solvent of unknown nature that was stored in the facility.
“We’re very appreciative to get the fire departments back in operation,” said Josh Humphrey, Iowa County Emergency Management Agency coordinator. He added that relying on older gear is dangerous.
The petroleum-based solvent left a tar-like coating on firefighters’ clothing that professional cleaning did not remove, Mark Swift, treasurer of the Marengo Fire Department, said in December.
The explosion injured a dozen employees, caused an evacuation of nearby houses and polluted soil and water because of chemicals stored at the site, where C6-Zero was attempting to dissolve used shingles into oil, sand and fiberglass.
Officials said in a letter to company officials that state law holds those “having control over a hazardous substance” liable to the state or other government body for “reasonable cleanup costs.”
Firefighters used thousands of gallons of foam to quell the flames.
