Green ooze investigation leads crews to Detroit building; scope of contamination remains unknown

DETROIT – The investigation spurred by a green substance found seeping onto I-696 in Madison Heights last month has led crews to another building.

A Detroit fire inspector was at the Commonwealth Industry building Tuesday in connection with the contamination investigation. The building on Commonwealth Street, west of the Lodge Freeway and north of I-94, appears to now be empty.

Public record searches show the building was at one point owned by Gary Sayers, the businessman who owned the now condemned Electro-Plating Services in Madison Heights. The substance on the freeway was hexavalent chromium coming from the basement of the business.

Sayers is currently in prison after he pleaded guilty to storing hazardous waste without a permit.

The Detroit Fire Department has contacted someone associated with the Detroit building, and crews will be going inside next week to investigate.

In the meantime, the Environmental Protection Agency is awaiting test results of soil from the I-696 site to determine how deep the contamination spread.

More coverage:

• Could the man responsible for contamination at Madison Heights site have also done it elsewhere?
• Officials working on long-term solution for contamination near I-696 in Madison Heights
• Test results confirm substance found seeping onto I-696 is hexavalent chromium
• Madison Heights business owner sentenced in connection with hazardous waste storage
• Here’s everything we know about the green substance found seeping onto I-696
• Cyanide, other contaminants found near condemned Madison Heights business
• Test results confirm substance found seeping onto I-696 is hexavalent chromium
• Officials: Green substance on I-696 poses no threat to drinking water
• Officials say green contaminant on I-696 is likely headed to Lake St. Clair through storm drains
• MSP: Green substance leaking onto I-696 in Madison Heights is chemical hexavalent chromium
• Substance made famous by Erin Brockovich is what was seeping onto I-696
• Green substance from condemned Madison Heights business oozes onto I-696
• Cleanup of toxic leak on I-696 could take months, officials say
• Cleanup of green chemical from condemned business on I-696 could take days
• Crews continue cleanup after green chemical substance oozes onto I-696
• Green substance oozing onto freeway closes lane on EB I-696 in Madison Heights