Sheridan Rose Shaw thought she’d picked the ideal spot to open her beauty salon in Footscray – until the old Kinnears factory next door caught fire twice in the past month. “I was just terrified that the fire was literally coming for us,” she said. “Because it just kept getting bigger and bigger.
” Sheridan Rose Shaw opened a salon next to the former Kinnears factory in Footscray, which has caught fire twice in the past fortnight. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui Shaw is one of many angry western suburbs residents accusing the environmental watchdog and the state government of ignoring the problems that regular toxic chemical fires – leading to air pollution and tainted water runoff from battling the blazes – are causing in the area. Recent fires include one at a plant operated by a chemical blending company in Derrimut , a plastics warehouse in Deer Park and the abandoned Kinnears rope factory.
More than 180 firefighters responded to the Derrimut fire with some presenting to hospitals for exposure to chemicals afterwards. VicEmergency declared a “watch and act” warning for nearby suburbs because of the thick toxic smoke. Loading Laverton and Cherry Creeks were both affected by firewater run-off, with about 3 million litres of water and 40,000 litres of foam used to battle the blaze.
The Anti-Toxic Waste Alliance – a group of 39 community groups and organisations – claims Western suburbs residents have been left in the dark about the activities being undertak.