Black slime, other remnants from Detroit oil recycling plant fire, undergo cleanup

DETROIT (FOX 2) - One day after a massive fire at Aevitas Specialty Services, officials are focusing on the cleanup including the black slime left on the ground.

The backstory:

Among the groups working on cleanup Tuesday is ML Chartier Inc, which specializes in excavation services and spill response.

"So it’s just a lot of different types of oil," said Mike Notorangelo of ML Chartier.

Crews on Tuesday were de-greasing and power washing the streets in front of where thousands of gallons of oil leaked from the burning tanks.

Notorangelo said it won't be too hard to clean the mess up.

"We have a really strong de-greaser that works really well," he said. "What we do is we spray it down, let it soak, and we power wash it to a low point in the road, and then we suck it up."

And then those trucks take it to a disposal where it’s recycled. But there’s another problem - the smell.

"We're in an industrial area so that’s the first thing that I'll say," said DFD Fire Marshal Don Thomas. "Because of the volume of oil that was on the ground, there’s a potential for it to still be in the soil."

The soil is left in that condition due to the combination of water from the fire hoses and the oil in the tanks.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

A statement was issued by Aevitas CEO Robert Slater saying in part, "We are working closely with the EPA, EGLE and the Fire Marshal's Office to manage clean-up efforts and ensure full regulatory compliance."

FOX 2: "Do you think though that this slime is hazardous?"

"It depends," said Notorangelo. "It depends who you talk to."

FOX 2: "What do you think?"

"I'm not sure," he said.

EGLE will make the final determination as to whether this is hazardous or not.

But unless there are changes, the fire marshal is convinced that - as of Tuesday there is no danger to the community.

"If those changes do occur we’ll make sure we notify the proper authorities," Fire Marshal Thomas said.