Nebraska Avenue warehouse under 7-day evacuation order

The owner of a central city warehouse was issued a “serious hazard order” after crews responded to the location Thursday on concerns with how chemicals were being stored at the site.

The order, issued to property owner Joe LaRosa, mandates the evacuation of the building for seven days.

Crews from the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency responded on Thursday to the Omni Polymers facility at 1925 Nebraska Ave. They evaluated the threat to public safety being posed by practices at the 180,000-square-foot warehouse.

As part of their initial response, Nebraska Avenue between Brown and Woodstock Avenues was closed for most of Thursday.

Air quality readings taken by the city’s Environmental Services Division taken around the perimeter of building and throughout nearby neighborhoods came back normal. Testing of the private storm sewer showed trace amounts of arsenic, mercury, and zinc, indicating that chemicals had been improperly discharged.

There is no active threat to residents.