COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus organization is joining forces with the North Central Area Commission to address the lasting impacts of a paint plant explosion in April that killed one man and injured several other people.
Roughly 40 workers were inside the Yenkin-Majestic Paint facility on Leonard Avenue when a large explosion erupted from the building shortly after midnight on April 8, killing a 44-year-old man and sending eight other people to the hospital with injuries.
Four months after that deadly incident, the Shepard Community Association, alongside the North Central Area Commission, is demanding answers from leaders at the plant.
During a press conference Monday, the association and commission, with support from state Rep. Dontavius Jarrells, discussed the impact of that explosion and what leaders are calling “negligence on the environment and well-being of the community” in its wake.
The briefing comes as the company begins its rebuilding process. In a statement released Monday, Yenkin-Majestic said those efforts include debris removal and excavation of the damaged building’s equipment, which the company hopes will help investigators determine the cause of the explosion.
According to a release from the event’s organizers, Yenkin-Majestic liaison Mo Wright and CEO Andrew Smith have been invited to attend the briefing with the hope they will provide insight into the investigation and what caused the deadly explosion.
Specifically, organizers plan to ask Wright and Smith about the plant’s history of accidents.
Additionally, organizers are seeking an update on the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s investigation into lasting environmental impacts from any potentially toxic fumes released from the building as a result. A report released to 10TV in early July showed there were 22 substances potentially involved in the incident, but said there was no known hazard to human health or the environment.
“We installed perimeter air monitors the same day as the accident, placed berms around the property to retain fire-suppression water, and had our clean-up contractor on-site immediately to manage any waste,” said Smith.
Yenkin-Majestic said the company has since sampled over 120 debris piles for asbestos, and all tests have come back negative.
Yenkin-Majestic said it will host a community meeting on Aug. 17 to provide additional updates.