Investigation into Clinton Twp. vape shop blast expected to ramp up this week –
Clinton Township officials hope to ramp up their investigation into what caused the March 4 explosion and fire at the site of Goo Smoke Shop/Select Distributors. (MITCH HOTTS — THE MACOMB DAILY)
A team of federal, state and local investigators hope to be able to access this week the burned-out building that once housed Goo Smoke Shop/Select Distributors Wholesale in Clinton Township until the structure was obliterated seven days ago.
The team includes the township’s police and fire departments, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Michigan State Police, and Environmental Protection Agency, as well as private investigators.
As of last Friday, flames were still smoldering at the site in the area of 15 Mile Road and Groesbeck Highway, preventing officials from doing much more than eyeballing the debris. But police have obtained some video and have been interviewing employees, said Fire Chief Tim Duncan.
“We have a pretty good idea about where the focus is going to be based on what we’ve seen,” Duncan told reporters last week.
The March 4 blast sent debris flying across the township as the heavy canisters containing butane were also sent airborne and came crashing down on vehicles and other property. A 19-year-old man died and a township firefighter was injured by the flying cannisters.
On Sunday afternoon, a security guard was posted at the site hoping to keep onlookers from entering the property. Some businesses in the area, such as Burger King and Walgreens, have remained closed since the night of the blast.
Fire investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire that led to the explosion of nitrous oxide and butane tanks that were stored at the facility because of the site being unsafe and unstable for fire personnel.
Officials say the main obstruction preventing the investigation team is structural steel that has fallen over the rubble, which can’t be removed without the use of special equipment. The metal cannisters, which rained down on the area during last week’s fire, pose a concern for more potential explosions, particularly when trying to move the structural steel.
Fire officials estimated the fire department has used 1.3 million gallons of water in an attempt to extinguish the fire on the first night alone. After intermittently returning to the site over the last week, firefighters now say more than 2 million gallons of water was used on the site.
Authorities said the building was not supposed to contain the butane and nitrous oxide tanks that were found on the property.
During the building’s last inspection in 2022, none of the hazardous canisters were present and would have resulted in violations for the business if they had been found.
The building was zoned B2, local business district, and is not zoned for industrial use. No permit was ever acquired to store hazardous materials and township officials say one would not have been granted for that building because it does not have the proper safety structures in place to house items such as tanks of nitrous oxide and butane.
Investigators last week collected potentially contaminated fire debris and other hazardous substances such as vape pens and lithium batteries. The team used drones to see the site from above and measure the extent of debris, finding small pieces blown as far as two miles away.
Clinton Township explosion site still too dangerous for fire investigators to access
Victim of Clinton Twp. vape blast remembered as a ‘joy to be around’
Clinton Township officials suspect warehouse that exploded was illegal
Clinton Twp. explosion, response are expected to cost ‘millions,’ fire chief says
Read More: Investigation into Clinton Twp. vape shop blast expected to ramp up this week –