CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Clean-up efforts will soon begin at the site of the former Select Distributors/Goo Smoke Shop in Clinton Township where a massive, deadly explosion happened in March.
“You never think you would see that in your front yard for that matter,” said Patrick Dear of Clinton Township. “It was very surreal.”
Dear lives a few blocks over from where Select Distributors once stood.
When the building exploded, debris went flying miles away. A 19-year-old man was killed after being hit by some of the dangerous debris.
VIDEO: Who is Select Distributors? What we know about Clinton Twp. company rocked by explosion
“Take me back to that night, what do you remember?” I asked Dear.
“As it kept intensifying, you could feel the heat still coming in waves and everything,” he said.
Dear says he was glad to learn the process to clean up the site is beginning.
VIDEO: Officials: Owner of exploding Clinton Twp. building arrested while trying to leave US
“You can drive right by it, it’s an eyesore over there,” Dear added.
Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon says the Environmental Protection Agency is leading the clean up efforts.
“It will take some time, they figure about 100 days from the day they start in full motion which is going to be about two weeks,” said Cannon.
Cannon says the EPA will front the initial cost of the cleanup.
VIDEO: Chopper video shows aftermath of massive fire & explosion in Clinton Township
“They will be out there next week, people will see activity, you will see trucks, you will see equipment starting to come on the site and that’s the beginning of the end,” said Cannon.
As the site is being cleaned up, Canon has this message for residents.
“Please stay away from that site, we have a lot of dangerous material still there,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dear says the explosion will be something no one in Clinton Township will forget.
“It was just such a chaotic moment that happened in a very short amount of time,” said Dear.
The owner of Select Distributors has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Police say that he was illegally storing nitrous oxide canisters inside the building. He is scheduled to be in court on Aug. 20.
