SLAUGHTER, LA (WAFB) -
Nearly one month after Monolyte
Labs in the town of Slaughter burned to the ground, emotions relating to the
company's clean up of the accident were still red-hot Tuesday night.
"What caused the fire and what
could you have done ahead of the game for it not to have occurred for one?" asked one resident.
Officials from the Louisiana
Department of Environmental Quality were on hand for a public forum addressing
Monolyte's continued efforts cleaning up various chemicals that were deposited
near the facility after the fire, namely a compound called Acrilamyde. But
residents were assured the health risks associated with the chemical are
minimal.
"This is not a compound that
bio-accumulates, it's not going to stay there, it's not going to be ingested in
tissue or fish or animals. We are going to get as much of it removed as can be
removed and the residual is going to break down," said DEQ Administrator of
Inspections Tom Killeen.
Mayor Robert Jackson also took
part in the question and answer forum with DEQ and representatives from
Monolyte, adding keeping the public updated is his main priority.
"We are going to lose a good
business and jobs in town and I hate it for them but after the fact it's time
for us to do our thing and my main concern is for our citizens," said Jackson.
Citizens are still looking for
answers and a company, which the owner says is beyond repair.
"I've lost my business, my
business is gone."
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