during the explosion event, local officials instructed residents to shelter indoors with their windows closed and hvac systems turned off. nearby residents complained of respiratory distress, as well as an odd taste in their mouths. this led to speculation in both local and social media that the cloud contained high-concentration hydrochloric acid, despite media reports to the contrary. for the week following the event, there was little-to-no communication from wacker management or government officials, resulting in further speculation about hazardous chemicals being released into the environment. wacker management later issued a full-page letter stating that no hazardous chemicals were released. one and a half weeks later, bradley county ema director troy spence held a press-conference attempting to allay fears, and urging residents to sign up for the county's non-emergency text-messaging service.