CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — On Friday, loved ones laid 19-year-old Turner Salter to rest. The teen died after a canister struck him during the violent explosions at a Clinton Township business that caught fire on Monday.
At a press conference Friday, officials reiterated their pledge to get to the bottom of what went wrong at a business called Select Distributors. That's near 15 Mile Road and Groesbeck Highway.
“We will find out through our investigation what happened, who did it, who’s responsible, and somebody will be held accountable," Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon said.
Watch the full press conference from officials below:
"They were doing things they shouldn't have been doing, or they were planning to do things that they shouldn't have been doing."
Related: Who is Select Distributors? What we know about Clinton Twp. company rocked by explosion
The Environmental Protection Agency can be observed cleaning up near the explosion site, and they're picking up debris as far as a mile and a half away from the epicenter.
“So, it’s a big deal. We had 10 EPA members join us yesterday, and we believe we’ll have another 10 join us today. So, we will have 20 of them working all day long, every day until it’s clean. We’re very thankful that," Cannon explained.
Dante and Shirley Sabatino live a quarter mile away from the site. They said they're thankful no fumes are coming from the area that continues to smolder.
“No smell or anything coming this way, which is good. The only thing I’m concerned about is that it keeps burning. I noticed when we came by it this morning. This afternoon, we came by it from the store in the same spot. So, what is over there? What keeps burning in that area? That’s what I wonder," Dante Sabatino told 7 Action News.
Shirley Sabatino said, “That’s what I’d like to know. Truly, what did they have stored in there that was that dangerous? This close to residential areas. And I feel so sorry for that kid that lost his life. Senseless, because somebody lied about what they were storing.”
Clinton Township Fire Chief Tim Duncan said his crews are hoping to get into the rubble sometime next week. However, he said a major collapse took place. Part of the building, heavy steel, is on top of an area that continues to burn and smolder.
Duncan said firefighters are spraying the site four to six hours per day. So far, he said 2 million gallons of water have been used.
The challenge now is obtaining the right equipment, so the heavy steel can be removed safely and the remaining hot spots can be extinguished.
Related: Crews continue tackling hot spots, explosions days after Clinton Twp. warehouse fire
“Obviously, that’s a major concern in talking with the representative from the ATF the other day," Duncan said. "That’s one of the big things, a little bit of a delay. We got to make sure we got the right equipment to come on scene. So, they’re reaching out to their people.”
Officials emphasized for the public not to touch any canisters.
Anyone who comes across a canister or questionable debris is encouraged to call the township at 586-469-5022.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to report any damage at that same phone number or by going the township website and filling out a self-reporting survey.
Officials declared a local state emergency, and Cannon said funds will be requested from the state.
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