Ohio City Reviews Inspections After Factory Fire

A northeast Ohio city is reviewing its building inspection process and considering rules for vacant properties after an accidental factory fire prompted the evacuation of a 20-block area.

Firefighters say workers were removing sulfur blocks used by a former Canton container company and probably created friction that led to the fire last month. It released potentially harmful sulfur dioxide into the air, spurring an evacuation.

The safety director says the city is reviewing its inspection procedures for possible improvements.

The Repository in Canton reports the owner of the building wasn’t under any order to remove the sulfur blocks.

Facilities also are required to report some hazardous materials to the local emergency planning commission, but it says the closed container company didn’t file a report about the sulfur.