BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Mayor Joe Ganim expressed concerns about the air and water quality near the site of an explosion that occurred at an environmental services facility on Friday. City officials, including Ganim, held a press conference on Sunday outside the Tradebe Environmental Services site on Cross Street, where the explosion took place.
Ganim emphasized the need to determine the cause of the explosion and to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. The city officials assured that they would continue working with Tradebe, and Scott Appleby, the city’s director of emergency management, stated that the investigation into the explosion would persist for several weeks.
Connecticut State Police’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit member Sgt. Paul Makuk mentioned that the explosion was likely not a criminal act, but further investigation and analysis of evidence were required before reaching a final conclusion.
Appleby revealed that the explosion occurred when a driver opened a valve while delivering about 4,000 gallons of “low-grade oxidizer” to the Tradebe facility. He also indicated that water runoff in the area was being closely monitored, while drinking water supplies remained unaffected.
As a precaution, the city advised residents to refrain from fishing in nearby brooks due to high pH levels. Furthermore, three individuals were injured during the explosion, and one remained hospitalized as of Saturday morning.
In response to the incident, Tradebe spokesperson Richard Bamberger stated that the company was cooperating with the investigation and sending prayers to the injured. The authorities urged the public to stay updated as the story unfolds.