Recalling recycle plant explosions

Sidebar, the old BJ employee publication, ran a series of articles called “We Were There” in which staffers recalled some news event. The December 1993 issue featured an account by Ed Suba

An interrupted party

Ed Suba, staff photographer, recalls deserting his first Beacon Journal newsroom holiday party to cover the explosions at the Akron Recycle Energy System plant on December 20, 1984.

“I had just come to the Beacon Journal from the Charleston, West Virginia, Gazette, so this was my first Christmas party. There were a lot of people from the newsroom and everyone brought covered dishes, so there was a lot of food.

We had just started eating when one of our reporters heard about the explosion at the Akron Recycle Energy plant and called the newsroom with the news. The odd thing was that exactly one week prior, at the same exact time, I had been in the plant for a media tour. So my first thought when I heard about it was, man, I was just there.

Everyone on the whole staff dropped their food and took off--we all ran out to the site and went in different directions. We were in constant communication with the newsroom and each other by radio, but I remember spending the whole day out there.

It had been a really bright, sunny day, without a cloud in the sky, which made the heavy black smoke from the explosion even more prominent and ominous.

The damage and the smoke was really overwhelming. I remember circling the place several times looking for the best shot, and running into the authorities who were trying to keep us away. It was definitely an interesting introduction to the Beacon Journal.

Toward the end of the day we all went back to the Beacon. We were all in the dark room printing stuff like crazy. It was so crowded, everyone was walking all over everyone else.

I never did get back to the food. Someone brought in food for us later that night, . but I don't know if it was left over from the party or what.”

Blog Notes: Two persons were killed and seven injured by the two explosions and fire. Ohio EPA tests confirmed that waste containing three volatile paint-related chemicals – xylene, toluene and methyl ethyl ketone – was dumped at the plant the day of the explosions. O.H. Materials submitted a bioll of $37,000 for the cleanup. Until the plant’s boilers were fired up on December 31, steam customers got their heat from a temporary system provided by B.F. Goodrich.