The city of Flat Rock has set up a special email (cityofflatrock@gmail.com) for residents who have questions about the emergency response.
If you are a Flat Rock evacuated resident and have questions, or if you are a resident with concerns about the air in your home, please call 734-782-2455, ext. 1105
On this page:
Updates
Oct. 1
EPA has been overseeing the sampling of indoor air at various properties with evacuation recommendations, or other properties with priority set by the Public Health officials. Sampling locations have been divided into 3 categories. For a technical description of each category, refer to the Re-Occupation Plan (PDF). But generally, Category 1 locations are properties that showed elevated benzene readings near the time of the reporting of the Ford gasoline release or an adjacent location; Category 2 locations are where there has been an odor complaint or screening; and Category 3 locations are where there has been a request for screening but no prior odor complaints.
The table below shows the
sampling activities completed to date since the beginning of the response for
each category:
| Category |
Total in Category |
Declined Testing |
Tests Completed |
| 1 |
21 |
4 |
17 |
| 2 |
37 |
11 |
25 |
| 3 (voluntary) |
193 |
51 |
120 |
See previous daily updates in Notices
Background
In late August 2021, gasoline leaked from the Ford Flat Rock Assembly Plant into a nearby portion of the City of Flat Rock sanitary sewer system. This incident initially created the risk of explosion. Once that risk was abated, the concern became toxic substances affecting air quality. Health agencies recommended evacuation for residents in the affected area known as Zone 1 immediately south of the plant. Residents in an area known as Zone 2 (west of Zone 1) were alerted that their community was, out of an abundance of caution, being monitored and support would be provided for those who wished to evacuate.
What has been done in response to the incident?
EPA has been providing assistance with air monitoring and source investigation as part of the City of Flat Rock's response to the incident. EPA has been publishing regular updates since the start of its response. Several milestones have already been achieved, including the health departments declaring that zones 1 and 2 were safe for residents to return to their homes, with the exception of a few residences in zone 1.
Previous daily updates published on this website are available in Notices
Key Documents
Video
This video, "Vapor Intrusion Sampling", shows how EPA uses stainless-steel canisters (a.k.a. Summa canisters) to collect indoor air samples.
Images
