Middletown reopens South Verity after 5-day closure for building fire

Middletown officials reopened South Verity Parkway/Ohio 4 about 12:30 p.m. today after a five-day closure following a catastrophic fire at the former Middletown Paperboard facility on New Year’s Day.

Crews from Vickers Demolition has assisted Middletown firefighters in exposing smoldering hotspots in the debris as well as knocking down two smoke stacks on Sunday at the site at 300 S. Verity Parkway.

City officials had hoped to reopen the road by late Friday but were delayed after a 10,000-gallon tank was discovered with 200 to 300 gallons of an undetermined liquid. The demolition crews had to drain the liquid and extract the tank before moving forward on demolishing the smoke stacks.

Shelby Quinlivan said a city street sweeper had swept down the street before reopening it to traffic.

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