CHICAGO — Three weeks after a fire at Chemtool Inc.’s factory in Rockton prompted four days of evacuations in the area, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley have filed a lawsuit against the company, Raoul’s office announced on Friday.
Filed in the Winnebago County Court, the lawsuit alleges that the actions by Chemtool, which manufactures grease, lubricating oil and fluids, pose a substantial danger to the public’s health and welfare and environment. The lawsuit also alleges air and water pollution, creating a water pollution hazard and unauthorized waste disposal, according a press release.
The lawsuit, Raoul said, is based on referrals from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA).
Reid and Hanley have said Chemtool is liable for the costs that state and Winnebago County have incurred as a result of the fire and explosions, which began on June 14.
The lawsuit also seeks to require Chemtool to assess the extent of the contamination, immediately address the release of pollutants to air, water and land, take preventative action to avoid the release of future pollutants and pay civil penalties.
“The Chemtool fire rattled the community, displaced residents and took the combined resources and efforts of several fire departments to get under control,” Raoul said. “Although the flames have been extinguished, the hazard posed to the public and the environment continues, and Chemtool owes the community more information.
“My office in collaboration with the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office will ensure that Chemtool is held responsible for evaluating the extent of the contamination and thoroughly remediating the damage.”
According to the the release, the fire broke on at Chemtool on the morning of June 14, causing several explosions and thick black smoke that could be seen for several miles. Several fire departments from Illinois and Wisconsin responded to the scene.
Residents and businesses within a 1-mile radius of the facility were evacuated, while residents within three miles of Chemtool were told to wear masks when outside. The fire burned for several days, and the evacuation order was not lifted until June 18.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, more than 4 million gallons of crude oil were stored in the factory, and the facility still houses four storage tanks holding approximately 100,000 gallons of petroleum product.
Since the facility is located near residences and the Rock River, Raoul and Hanley claim the large volume of petroleum product stored in the containers – which have been compromised by the fire – pose a significant threat to land the river.
“The catastrophic fire at the Chemtool facility resulted in significant impacts on local residents and the surrounding community,” said John Kim, Illinois EPA director. “The action taken today by the Attorney General’s Office is an important step to ensure that the company is held responsible for the effects of the fire, which include conducting a thorough investigation and proper remediation.”
