MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Caleb Fields and his classmates spent their Monday gathering up and studying whatever organisms they can find for their environmental science class.
"All kinds of blue herons, turtles snakes, lots of macro-invertebrates, anything and everything," said Fields.
He grew up near the Oconee River, enjoying the sound of its waters and watching the fish float down the stream.
"It's a good time to really enjoy the nicer side of Milledgeville that people overlook, which is why it's sad," said Fields.
Last week, a fire at the Zschimmer & Schwarz plant released chemicals like phosphetal, glycol ether DB, and sorbitanmonolaurate into Fishing Creek.
According to Brandon Baker with the state Department of Natural Resources, the chemicals killed thousands of fish. The state Environmental Protections Division then warned people not to eat any fish caught between the creek and the Oconee River. Then, Wayne Johnson, EMA director for Baldwin County advised people not to eat fish out of the Oconee River.
Baker said their investigation found not all of the fish in the creek were dead and that they didn't find any dead or sick fish in the Oconee River. Baker says they believe that means fish in the Oconee are safe to eat.
We verified it is safe to eat the fish downstream on the Oconee from the spill site.
Fields says the organisms in the ecosystem they're trying to study could be impacted from the spill, considering those fish could have been dinner for herons.
"I have that natural respect for it and I want it to be preserved and protected," said Fields.
Baker says the state is still investigating the spill.
Jed Pruitt with the state Department of Natural Resources' Emergency Response team says around 200,000 gallons of chemicals spilled from the Zschimmer & Schwarz factory during last Monday's fire.Those chemicals ran off into Fishing Creek, which feeds into the Oconee River.
Pruitt says one of those chemicals is phosphorus pentoxide, which reacts violently with water and creates phosphoric acid.
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