1 person remains hospitalized after explosion, fire at company in Bridgeport

One person remains hospitalized two days after an explosion and a fire at a company in Bridgeport. The investigation into the explosion is ongoing.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim spoke on Sunday along with officials from the Office of Emergency Management, the fire department, the police department, Connecticut State Police, the Department of Public Health.

Ganim said as a result of this incident, he is going to make a committee that determines what the requirements need to be and how to protect residents.

Firefighters and police responded to the Tradebe Environmental Services facility on Cross Street on Friday for what city officials called a major fire.

Emergency management officials said trying to identify the right location of the explosion and fire was tricky. A city official initially said the explosion and fire were at Standard Oil.

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Three people were taken to Bridgeport Hospital, according to a hospital spokesperson. Two have since been discharged from the hospital and one remains hospitalized.

One person was being treated for burns and two were being treated for smoke inhalation, according to a city official.

The incident was brought under control in about an hour and 20 minutes, emergency management officials said.

"There was a delivery of a low-grade oxidizer, about 4,000 gallons. It appears the driver opened up one of the valves and there was a large explosion which trigger multiple smaller explosions," Acting Fire Chief Lance Edwards said.

"An explosion like this is unacceptable," Ganim said on Sunday.

A sergeant with Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosive Investigation Unit said this explosion was not a criminal act and there is no criminal aspect. They are continuing to look at samples as their investigation on site continues.

Some businesses and residents within a two mile radius were forced to evacuate. All of the residents and businesses that were evacuated have since been able to return to the area. Air quality has also been deemed safe.

The fire chief told us that the pH level in the area is "very high," and as a result, fishing won't be allowed in any nearby bodies of water. Once levels reach a lower level, fishing in nearby brooks could continue.

A spokesperson for Tradebe Environmental Services issued the following statement on the incident:

“There was an incident at the Bridgeport facility Friday afternoon. We are cooperating and working closely with first responders and regulators. Our prayers are with the three people who were injured, and they are currently being evaluated at a local hospital.”

According to their website, Tradebe Environmental Services employs about 2,700 people and operates over 80 sites worldwide. They "provide flexible, innovative and technologically driven solutions for the processing and recovery of hazardous and non hazardous waste," their website states.