MISHAWAKA, Ind. (AP) - Hundreds of northern Indiana residents evacuated after a fire at a vacant factory released a large chemical cloud have been given the all-clear to return to their homes.
WSBT-TV reports (http://bit.ly/PCVLX6 ) the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency let residents near the old Baycote facility in Mishawaka return home starting about 7 a.m. EDT Saturday.
Firefighters say the building has been vacant since 2008, but this spring the EPA started cleaning up the site.
Residents were evacuated Friday night after sludge-like chemicals a crew had placed in a storage container caught fire, producing a cloud of chemical vapor about 10 miles east of South Bend. Eight people were taken to local hospitals, but none were seriously injured.
EPA on-scene coordinator Paul Atkociunas (At-KOON'-Uhs) says Friday night's situation was an "unfortunate accident."