Official: Burning house is not only option

EPA, others to inspect the Highview house

Environmental Protection Agency officials arrived in Louisville on Monday to inspect a Highview home containing hazardous materials, while city officials said they had been considering options other than a controlled burn of the house from the start.

The EPA and other agencies entered the home to “better identify the types and amounts of materials inside and to assess options for safely removing the chemicals, in lieu of burning,” a release from the Mayor’s Office said.

This has been the plan “from the beginning,” said Jody Meiman, the executive director of emergency management services, on Monday.

However, Mayor Craig Greenberg said Aug. 1 a controlled burn of the home was the only viable option because it is a “hoarder’s house” and officials would not be able to safely move around to remove the hazardous materials while wearing safety equipment.

“After convening experts in explosives and hazardous chemicals, including from the FBI and other agencies, it was determined a planned, monitored and controlled burn of the facility is the only safe way to dispose of the contents of the home,” a press release from his office said the same day.

An Aug. 3 press release from the Mayor’s Office said this is “the only safe way to dispose of the contents of the home.”

Now it is not certain whether the burn will occur, depending on the assessment this week from the EPA and other agencies, including Louisville Metro Police, Emergency Services and Fern Creek Fire and EMS.

“That’s the last option for us to do,” Meiman said. “We’ve mentioned all along that we’re still working in parallel paths. We’re going with the mentality that we could have to burn the house and we’re going with the mentality that it can still be cleaned up.”

Jessica Wethington, the public information officer for Louisville Metro Emergency Services, said EPA officials arrived Monday to investigate what types of hazardous materials may be stored in the home.

They’ll be in Louisville for the next couple of days for “reconnaissance,” then evaluate their findings and make a suggestion, Meiman said.

If the EPA determines that it can safely clean up the house, the process could take from weeks to months, Meiman said. If it cannot be cleaned safely, there is a chance the EPA could recommend a controlled burn.

Meiman was unsure of an exact timeline on when the EPA might make its suggestion. Even if the controlled burn happens, it will not occur this week, the release said.

There is a chance that burning the property could force an evacuation of the area. If one is necessary, residents will be notified at least 48 hours in advance, city officials said last week.

No chemicals would be removed from the residence during the EPA’s assessment on Monday, the release said. City officials have not released the names of the specific chemicals found within the residence, besides picric acid − which can be highly explosive − and TNT.

Instead, the chemicals were generally described as “other explosive materials and industrial grade chemicals” in an FAQ by local officials.

Greenberg previously said the chemicals would be undisclosed while the criminal investigation of Marc Hibel, the owner of the property, was ongoing.

Hibel, a 53-year-old chemist, has been charged with wanton endangerment and first- and second-degree burglary. He is being held at Louisville Metro Corrections.

Thomas Rasinski, an assistant public defender for Hibel, has filed a motion in court to prevent a controlled burn of the house. It claims that by destroying Hibel’s home, the result would be a “significant, serious, and potentially complete deprivation of his right to due process of law.”

Right now, the house is “stable,” Meiman said. Both the protective fence surrounding the property and the continuous LMPD surveillance will remain in place.