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WEBVTT AT 11:00.MICHAEL: FIRST TONIGHT, HISTORYREPEATS ITSELF.A SITE PRONE TO FIRES, ONCEAGAIN BADLY DAMAGED INGREENVILLE COUNTY.CAROL: AND TONIGHT, THIS IS ACASE FOR WYFF NEWS 4INVESTIGATES.WE'RE UNCOVERING NEW INFORMATIONABOUT CONTAMINATION AROUND THEOLD U.S. FINISHING PLANTMICHAEL: BUT FIRST, WHATHAPPENED THIS MORNING.THE OLD MILL CAUGHT FIRE, AGAIN.SKY 4 WAS SOON THERE.THIS IS THE CORNER OF OLDBUNCOMBE ROAD AND WEST BLUERIDGE DRIVE.NO ONE GOT HURT IN THE FIRE, BUTTHERE WAS PLENTY OF DAMAGE TO APLACE LONG ABANDONED AS ABUSINESS.CAROL: AND THIS MILL HAS AHISTORY OF FIRES.THIS WAS THE SCENE BACK INNOVEMBER OF 2003.MICHAEL: THE BUILDING BURNED OUTOF CONTROL FOR HOURS. THIS IS SKY 4 VIDEO FROM BACKTHEN.THE FIRE FORCED THE MILL TOCLOSE BACK THEN.EMPLOYEES LOST THEIR JOBS, ANDTHE FIRE'S IMPACT REACHED BEYONDTHE PROPERTY.THE REEDY RIVER WAS ALSOCONTAMINATED WITH CHEMICALS FROMTHE PLANT,BEGGING THE QUESTION, DITODAY'S FIRE CONTAMINATE THERIVER AGAIN?CAROL: COREY DAVIS NOW, WITHWYFF NEWS 4 INVESTIGATESCOREY: MELTING A CENTURY OFHISTORY. THE U.S. FINISHING MILLDEVASTATED IN 2003,AND CLOTHING DYE STORED AT THEPLANT CONTAMINATED THE REEDYRIVER, LEADING TO REPORTS EAD FISH AND ODD SMELLS.WITH THE PLANT BURNING AGAIN 1YEARS LATER, STATE OFFICIALS SAYTHERE ARE NO SIGNS OF ANY NEWTHREATS TO THE ENVIRONMENT.BUT FEDERAL REPORTS REVEAL IT'SSTILL CONTAMINATED FROM ISSUESIN THE PAST. IN 2011, THE SITE WAS ADDED TO ASPECIAL FEDERAL PROGRAM BECAUSEOF CONTAMINATION.THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONAGENCY TORE DOWN MANY OF THEBUILDINGS ON THE SITE IN 201AND ADDED FENCING.A FEDERAL DOCUMENT REVEALSEVIDENCE OF CONTAMINATED SURFACEWATER, GROUNDWATER, ANDSEDIMENT.ON THURSDAY, THE SITE, SMOKINGAGAIN FROM ANOTHER FIRE.THE EPA IS SAYING THAT THEREISN'T ENOUGH DATA TO DETERMINEWHETHER GROUNDWATER IS STILLCONTAMINATED.THE AGENCY IS REPORTING THAT, TOITS KNOWLEDGE, DRINKING WATEHAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED.FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES ARESTILL WORKING ON CLEAN UPEFFORTS, SAYING THEY ARE, QUOTE,"CONDUCTING AN EXTENSIINVESTIGATION TO FULLY ASSESSSITE-RELATED THREATS TO PEOPLELIVING NEAR THE SITE AND TENVIRONMENT."WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT SOIACROSS THE SITE IS CONTAMINATEDWITH ASBESTOS.THE EPA UPDATED THAT INFORMATIONTHURSDAY, AS THE OLD MILLBURNED.GREENVILLE COUNTY RECORDS REVEALTHAT THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY ACOMPANY CALLED AMERICAN FASTPRINT, LIMITED.WE TRACKED DOWN THE LOCATION INGREENVILLE WHERE THE TAXES AREMAILED.WE LEARNED THAT THE BUSINESS NOLONGER EXISTS.WE'RE TOLD THAT THE GOAL IS TOSELL THE PROPERTY, AND NEGOTIATEA DEAL THAT WILL COVER THEEXPENSE OF UNPAID TAXES.BUT BEFORE ANY OF THAT CANHAPPEN, THE SITE HAS TO BEDEEMED ENVIRONMENTALLY SAF14 YEARS HAVE GONE BY. RIGHTNOW, IT'S STILL UNCLEAR HOW LONGTHAT PROCESS WILL TAKE.COREY DAVIS, WYFF NEWS 4, IN

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Advertisement WYFF 4 Investigates: Upstate mill site still contaminated, owner out of business Fire damaged building at former U.S. Finishing mill Share Shares Copy Link Copy

WYFF News 4 Investigates discovered that soil around the old U.S. Finishing Mill is still contaminated by asbestos, according to federal records. Related: Sky 4 video from the fire | Video from scene | Pictures from scene A building on site caught fire Thursday morning. The mill, located on Old Buncombe Road in Greenville, was devastated in 2003, and clothing dye stored at the plant contaminated the Reedy River watershed. It led to reports of dead fish and odd smells in the area. The plant burned again on Thursday, 14 years later, and state officials said there are no signs of any new threats to the environment. Officials did not note any environmental concerns while on site Thursday, but federal reports reveal that it’s still contaminated from issues in the past. In 2011, the site was added to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List because of contamination. A federal report revealed evidence of contaminated surface water, groundwater and sediment. The Environmental Protection Agency tore down many of the buildings on the site in 2012, and also added fencing to discourage trespassing. The EPA is saying that there isn’t enough data to determine whether groundwater is still contaminated. The agency is reporting that, to its knowledge, drinking water has not been affected. The EPA is working with the South Carolina Department of Health and the Environmental Control on continued cleanup efforts. The agency reported that, “The EPA is also conducting an extensive investigation to fully assess site-related threats to people living near the site and the environment." Greenville County property records reveal that the property is owned by a company called “American Fast Print, Limited.” WYFF News 4 tracked down the location in Greenville where the taxes are mailed. We learned that American Fast Print, Limited no longer exists. We’re told that the goal is to sell the property and negotiate a deal that would possibly cover the expense of unpaid taxes, but first, the property has to be deemed environmentally safe. It’s still unclear how long that process will take. WYFF News 4 has reached out to the EPA for a timeline on cleanup efforts, but has not heard back yet. To get breaking news alerts sent to your phone download the WYFF 4 app here.