All lanes of Route 5 from Ridge Road to Route 179 in Lackawanna continue to be closed to traffic due to the fire at the former Bethlehem Steel site. Emergency crews are entering their fourth day of attending to the scene. Wrecking crews are working to dismantle the building, allowing firefighters access to interior portions that are still smoldering. The Department of Environmental Conservation has deemed that air quality near the site has returned to normal. The evacuation order for local residents has been lifted, though they are urged to keep their windows closed and to recirculate the air in their homes.
The Buffalo News reports that early indications that a light bulb started the fire are being questioned and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
