July 24, 2011

Trail Creek then and now

Fireballs erupt from the remains of J and J Chemical Company on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 in Athens, Ga. The fire broke out around midnight and flared up around 8:15 a.m. The Athens plant produces toilet bowl disinfectant. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
Clarke County firefighters on Wednesday July 28, 2010 continued battling a major chemical blaze that started late last night in eastern Clarke County. The fire began at about midnight in the J&J Chemical Co. building, 190 Trans Tech Drive, where toilet bowl disinfectant is produced and by 5 a.m. firefighters had the flames under control. However, the fire erupted again at about 8:15 this morning and fire crews continued working to contain it. (David Tulis/Staff/david.tulis@onlineathens.com)
A small fish swims into the polluted waters of the East Fork Trail Creek as other fish try to avoid the blue water on Thursday, July 29, 2010. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
A small group of fish swim in the waters of Trail Creek near Dudley Park on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 in Athens, Ga. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
The remains of J and J Chemical Co as seen from the air on Friday, July 30, 2010 in Athens, Ga. Fire officials said they do not expect to start their investigation until Monday. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
An empty lots sits where the former J&J Chemical company building once stood on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 in Athens, Ga. The building, and large amounts of chemicals, went up in flames on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
Blue, contaminated waters gush beneath the historic railroad trellis featured on the R.E.M "Murmur" cover from the East Fork Trail Creek on Thursday, July 29, 2010. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
Blue dye is no longer apparent in the waters of Trail Creek as it passes underneath the famous R.E.M "Murmer" trestle on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 in Athens, Ga. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
Blue dye is no longer apparent in the waters of Trail Creek in Dudley Park on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 in Athens, Ga. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
Contaminated water flows in Trail Creek on Thursday, July 29, 2010 in Athens, Ga. The blue water appears to be toilet bowl disinfectant that ran off following a fire at their plant. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
Ben Emanuel stands near the banks of Trail Creek during a recent survey of the area on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 in Athens, Ga. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
A water bug skims across the surface of Trail Creek on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 in Athens, Ga. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
A dragon fly sits on a branch just above the waters of Trail Creek on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 in Athens, Ga. Researchers have scene a reemergence of some insect and amphibious species a year after the fire at J&J Chemical Company. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
A sign hung by the Athens Grow Green Coalition warns people to steer away from the blue waters of the Trail Creek near Dudley Park after runoff from a chemical plant leached blue dye and other chemicals into the water system on Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010 in Athens, Ga. Later in the day, the sign was removed by unknown persons. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
Blue dye is no longer apparent in the waters of Trail Creek were it meets with the North Oconee River near Dudley Park on Friday, July 22, 2011 in Athens, Ga. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
Waters in the East Fork Trail Creek run blue after possibly being contaminated by toilet bowl disinfectant the day after a J&J Chemical Co. plant exploded on Thursday, July 29, 2010. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)
Blue dye is no longer apparent in the waters of the East Fork Trail Creek on Friday, July 22, 2011 in Athens, Ga. (Richard Hamm/Staff/richard.hamm@onlineathens.com)

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