Little Village residents demand accountability after OIG report on Hilco Chicago demolition leaked
"They were able to get a permit within a day. That's unheard of, and the city was ok with it."
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The implosion of the smoke stacks in South Lawndale sent plumes of smoke and dust into the air over the Little Village neighborhood back in April of 2020. Many residents say it made it difficult to breathe and caused lasting respiratory problems.
Genaro Contreras lives two blocks from the implosion site and says he was healthy before the implosion, but since then he's been to hospitals several times because he has trouble breathing and sleeping.
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At a news conference Tuesday morning, the Little Village Community Council said the city's Inspector General's report on the incident, which was leaked to the media, finds fault with several departments that were involved in allowing permits to be issued for the demolition.
"They were able to get a permit within a day," said Baltazar Enriquez, Little Village Community Council. "That's unheard of, and the city was ok with it."
The site, which now houses a warehouse distribution site for Target, sits in the 22nd Ward. Alderman Mike Rodriguez said he has seen the OIG report and calls the incident environmental racism against his predominantly Latino community.
RELATED: Air pollution in Chicago area impacts communities of color most
"The IG report states real clearly that city bureaucracy failed the residents of Little Village, failed my neighbors and failed my community," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said he joins a number of other aldermen in calling for an investigation of the city's and the demolition company's role in the implosion. He also is asking for the inspector general's report on the incident and others like it to be released to the public in the future.
