Court case over 2023 massive scrap metal fire in West Oakland progressing, DA Price says
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price said the case against Radius Recycling, related to last year's massive scrap metal fire at its facility in West Oakland, is moving along.
"There have been a number of proceedings since we filed in June and so we're hopefully at a point where the case is going to move forward," said DA Price.
This summer DA Price announced a grand jury had indicted Radius Recycling and two of its managers on several charges including felony violations of the California Health and Safety Code.
The District Attorney's office alleges the company continued to accumulate scrap metal despite equipment failures in the days leading up to the fire.
When the fire lit, the DA said it sent a plume of gray toxic smoke throughout the region, spiking pollutant levels in the air from Oakland all the way to Livermore.
"The impact of the toxins and the spread of the plume from the fire is now reflected in the charts that we'll make available to you at this point. The danger to the community, we're trying to address it expeditiously," said DA Price.
The DA presented a chart she says shows where the pollutants measured in the air on the day the fire from several locations around the county.
One of the areas with the highest reading was nearby Laney College. KPIX went over to the campus to talk with students about the DA's findings.
One student said she didn't remember the fire but is concerned to learn about the pollution levels and potential health risks.
"I mean, that's very concerning because we don't even know what's happening, and then suddenly we start getting sick and we don't even know why," said Isabelly Sabo, a student at Laney College.
The DA said the defendants in this case have been trying to stall ever since charges were filed.
Radius has denied handling hazardous waste at the recycling plant.
An attorney for the company said he expects Radius will be exonerated.