River on fire! Monday, June 8, 2009 - 18:00 Ohio is
internationally known for buckeyes, the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cedar Point and,
unfortunately, the river that caught on fire. The river was the
Cuyahoga in northeast Ohio. This event took place in June 1969,
yet the memory lingers today. I admit it is a shocking prospect
that water could be so contaminated that it would catch on fire.
It is sad that Ohio's waters have a reputation for being dirty
and polluted, but the shock of the Cuyahoga River fire was a
strong impetus to improve the environment. Whether the
motivation was to save face or a concern for health and safety,
committees were created in the name of environmental
improvement. Within three years of the fire, Congress passed the
Clean Water Act, which monitored pollution. So how did the river
actually catch on fire? Apparently, oil and chemical-coated
debris had collected in the water and was ignited by sparks from
a passing rail car. The debris did not spontaneo