Warehouse Fire
by Philip Hodgkins
The dense black smoke is 5600 tons of Indonesian rubber, used to make tires, burning. What makes this a potential for environmental disaster is damage done by the smoke and particulate matter within it. This warehouse belonging to Georgia Ports Authority, is just at the foot of the Talmadge Bridge over the Savannah River, a busy four lane bridge. That is an ongoing potential for auto traffic to be put in zero visibility, with an exponential probability of crashes. The smoke is drifting to the SE, well over the heart of downtown Savannah, affecting businesses, hotels, SCAD students and homeowners.Anyone with respiratory problems will be devastatingly affected.
At the moment, the smoke drift is making it's way out to sea, but it has a long way to go and a tremendous amount of property and lives that it can potentially affect.
That this is a fit subject for environmental journalism, I have no doubt. It can possibly have a deleterious affect on the Savannah river, the salt marshes, the tidal rivers and the ocean, as well as urban and suburban property.
Comments
6 commentsThat's a whole lotta rubber, wonder how long it will burn?
Only time will reveal its full impact on the area.
Reminds me of the oil being transported by rail from Canada (much safer by pipeline), and that other recent fire..
Well done!
Fortunately, the wind was enough to keep the smoke moving in a SE direction, both to keep it off the bridge and move it finally out to sea (about 20 miles). This morning the smoke is gone and the fire seems to be dead. I can smell a little burnt oil smell mixed with the morning fog, and hopefully that is the extent of it. We escaped with minimal effects. It could have been much, much worse.