An industrial factory just outside Parkersburg city limits erupted into flames early Saturday morning, threatening economic and environmental resources. The air quality is still undetermined, leading several city buildings to be shut down.

West Virginia American Water released in a statement that the fire is about 124 miles from Huntington, which means over a week of travel time at the river’s current velocity for any pollution to reach the city. However, West Virginia American Water is continuing to monitor the Ohio River, including additional screening performed by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission’s Organic Detection Systems.

Wood County is under a state of emergency, and several county commissioners have released a list of possible chemicals and carcinogens being burned and released into the atmosphere, which include PVC, Nylon, Carbon black, Titanium, and fiberglass.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported the factory had a history of environmental violations.

According West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection officials, the company that caught fire, Intercontinental Export Import Inc., failed to file the required water pollution discharge reports and was ordered to pay $61,000 by the agency.

Alicia Carper, senior at Marshall studying psychology, is a resident of Parkersburg.

“As soon as you smell it, you get an instant headache,” Carper said. “Directly around, it’s really bad. People can still smell it in Marietta, Ohio. The warehouse is as big as a Super Walmart.”

County officials said the air poses no risk to community members’ health, but if the fire continues to grow, it could affect water quality.

“Wood County schools have been closed since Monday,” Carper said. “They’re giving out respirators, and people are concerned that officials aren’t telling us everything.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Sebastian Morris can be contacted at [email protected].