On the afternoon of September 5, 2024, East Akron was engulfed in towering flames and thick plumes of black smoke. For local resident Anthony Anderson, the sight was nothing short of terrifying. “Oh, it was scary man, real scary. It was like, oh my gosh!” Anderson recalled. SMB Products, on Rosemary Boulevard, known for manufacturing after-market auto parts, was the site of the intense blaze. Firefighters stated, at the time, the fire was fueled by a mix of chemicals, including propane, methanol, and xylene.
Following a powerful explosion, firefighters prepared for the potential of more blasts, prompting an evacuation of everyone within a one-mile radius. This included Anderson and his granddaughter. “They said it might blow because they got tanks up there or something,” Anderson explained.
Fortunately, no further explosions occurred, though the incident left one firefighter injured. Thankfully, no workers or local residents were harmed. However, for Anthony Anderson, the aftermath was not without its challenges. Since the fire, he has been dealing with persistent headaches and a nagging cough. “I started spitting up, like I had a cold or something,” Anderson explained. “I’m still coughing that stuff up. I don’t know what it is.”
Akron Fire Lt. Robert Langston emphasized the safety and health of the community were a top priority following the fire. The Ohio EPA supervised air quality and groundwater tests, conducted by firefighters, for a full week. Regarding the results of the testing, Langston assured, “There’s nothing to indicate that there’s any long-term worries as far as safety is concerned.”
In the months that followed, investigators from both the Akron Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal worked to determine the cause of the blaze. However, Langston confirmed that no conclusive explanation could be found. “At this point, that was their final ruling on the cause, that it was undetermined,” he said.
John Piscitelli, the owner of the affected property, reported that two buildings were completely destroyed, while another sustained major damage. He mentioned that, since the blaze, 24 workers had returned to the job, but 20 others were still waiting to resume their duties. Piscitelli expressed his desire for the company to return to full production. Referring to an inspection scheduled for the following week, Langston commented, “until the entire assessment is complete with all of the agencies that are involved with that, they will still be on a limited basis.”
As for Anderson, his persistent cough continues to worry him, leading him to wonder if it might be linked to the fire that occurred more than five months ago. He reaffirmed, “I think it’s connected to that because I ain’t never felt like this.”