Health officials say smoke over Philadelphia not hazardous
Authorities say no toxic chemicals at levels hazardous to human health have been found at a junkyard fire in Philadelphia that spread huge amounts of smoke over the city
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.No toxic chemicals at levels hazardous to human health have been found at a junkyard fire in Philadelphia that spread huge amounts of smoke over parts of the city, authorities said Wednesday, but they warned people to limit their time outside.
However, there is still particulate matter in the air from the smoke, and people near the remaining smoke or haze were advised to limit their time outside, especially if they had heart or lung problems, the Philadelphia Public Health Department said.
Nearly 100 firefighters responded to the blaze around 3 p.m. Tuesday in southwest Philadelphia, including marine units that pumped water from the Schuylkill River to douse the flames.
The fire was declared under control about 2 1/2 hours later, but crews continued to battle hot spots through Wednesday morning. The cause is being investigated.