Coconut Grove residents march demanding action on toxic legacy of "Old Smokey"
MIAMI - Dozens of current and former residents of Coconut Grove marched to Miami City Hall on Wednesday, demanding justice for what they allege are decades of health issues caused by contamination from a long-closed incinerator known as "Old Smokey."
The group, many of whom grew up in the historically Black, low-income neighborhood of West Coconut Grove, is calling for the City of Miami to take responsibility for remediating what they describe as "toxic contamination" from the incinerator site.
Ozie Williams, an 86-year-old cancer survivor who lived just blocks from "Old Smokey," joined the march. She recalls thick clouds of smoke from the incinerator, which operated from 1926 until a court shut it down in 1970, calling it a public nuisance.
"In the morning, I couldn't open my kitchen door," Williams said. "I went to the doctor and they told me I had a sinus condition."
The incinerator, once located at 3425 Jefferson Street, was replaced by a fire training center and public parks.
However, residents like Williams believe the toxins left behind dioxins and heavy metals detected in soil tests within a mile radius of the site continue to impact the health of those who lived nearby.
"I came up with cancer and I had to have surgery and chemo," Williams said.
Residents also say their families were not properly informed about the contamination.
During the march, attorney Jason Clark, who is representing some of the residents in a class-action lawsuit against the city, accused Miami of attempting to avoid accountability.
"The city filed a motion to strike testing in the first place," Clark said.
Miami Commissioner Damian Pardo, whose jurisdiction includes the affected area, released a statement noting a recent court ruling allows the city to review evidence supporting the claims.
"This ruling ensures that the process remains thorough and deliberate. At this stage, we are waiting for the full presentation of facts. We remain committed to seeing this issue through to an informed and just resolution," Pardo stated.
Residents, however, want immediate action. "We want the county to start pressuring the city to finally take accountability and clean up this mess," Clark said.
For Williams and others, the fight is deeply personal. "This is about justice," she said.
City officials declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.
