By admin 
A “mass contamination event” from a huge fire at a mattress factory in Fairfield County 30 miles north of downtown Columbia has polluted water sources and farmland for miles around, making it impossible for farmers to sell their spoiled crops, according to a lawsuit filed late Friday in state court.
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The fire destroyed the factory and burned for 48 hours, sending huge plumes of black smoke into the air, said the lawsuit, filed in Fairfield County state court.
“The fire produced massive plumes of thick, black smoke visible for miles,” the lawsuit said.
More than 270 firefighters, including some 200 from out of county, fought the fire since last Sunday morning when the fire started, said Fairfield County public information officer Gene Stephens in an interview with The State on Friday afternoon.
“It was one of the biggest events we have ever had in the county,” Stephens said. “It was massive.”
There were no deaths or injuries, he said.
The lawsuit, which seeks class action status, alleges that eventually there may be hundreds of plaintiffs seeking relief from damages.
The defendant in the lawsuit is Healthcare SC, which is owned by MLilly USA.
The current plaintiff in the lawsuit is Amy Bates, whom the lawsuit said is a property owner and farmer in Fairfield County near the factory.
Lawyers in the case are Will Lewis, Dick Harpootlian and Chris Kenny.
Healthcare SC operated the now destroyed 650,000 sq. ft. factory, where flexible polyurethane memory foam mattresses were made, the lawsuit said.
As the fire burned, charred debris, ash and particulate matter mixed with the black smoke and began “falling like snow from the sky onto Bates’ property, including onto her land, her crops and into the creek bordering her property,” the lawsuit said.
Bates used well water as a source of water for her home and crops, the lawsuit said.
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“Upon discovering the debris, Bates contacted her local Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service representative for guidance,” her lawsuit said.
“Bates was instructed by her Clemson Extension representative to immediately cancel all of her outstanding crop orders and to begin removing the debris from her land by hand while wearing protective gloves and a mask,” the lawsuit said.
Teams of federal and state officials arrived in Fairfield County to help protect the surrounding environment from contamination. Runoff from water used to fight the fire drained into a creek and ash from the fire blew across the landscape.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitored the air for toxins for several days after the fire, before saying the air was free of harmful pollution.
At the same time, the S.C. Department of Environmental Services began working to contain polluted runoff from the mattress factory site, which was doused with water to extinguish the blaze. The water drained across the property and picked up contaminants, but state officials say they kept it from reaching a local drinking water reservoir. They were preparing to contain more runoff if expected rains pound the area over the weekend.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Teams of federal and state environmental officials arrived in Fairfield County to help protect the surrounding environment from contamination. Runoff from water used to fight the fire drained into a creek and ash from the fire blew across the landscape.
The S.C. Department of Agriculture has said it was in contact with produce farmers who were concerned about the impacts from debris and runoff. The agriculture department did not say whether the crops were safe, and some farmers say government officials have told them not to sell their crops if the plants were impacted by ash and debris.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitored the air for toxins for several days after the fire, before saying Friday he air was free of harmful pollution.
At the same time, the S.C. Department of Environmental Services began working to contain polluted runoff from the mattress factory site, which was doused with water to extinguish the blaze. The water drained across the property and picked up contaminants, but state officials say they kept it from reaching a local drinking water reservoir. They were preparing to contain more runoff if expected rains pound the area over the weekend.
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This is a breaking news story and will be updated.