Environment Protection Agency Investigating Chickasha Hand Sanitizer Fires

Federal agents raided a Chickasha business embroiled in drama after they were accused of illegally storing expired hand sanitizer.

“Digging a pretty big hole, something’s in there,” concerned resident Curtis Hart said.

While the EPA confirmed a federal investigation was underway, a spokeswoman said “we’re not at a point in the investigation to comment.”

“The Wheels of Justice are moving slow,” Hart said.

Curtis Hart’s property butts up to Bordwine’s headquarters. He watched as agents used a backhoe and searched.

Much of the excavated earth was littered with debris.  

“So I do take it personally, you’re this close to my property and after dealing with you for a handful of years, I know what’s up,” Hart said.

In August the DEQ fined Bordwine $6.6 million, the largest in DEQ history. 

In a court filing, the agency cited the business’s three sites that caught fire. More than 1 million gallons of expired hand sanitizer were being stored.

New documents showed even after the fires the "DEQ received information that [Bordwine] or their employees were hauling trailers of the remaining hand sanitizer" from a property they were leasing.”

Then in November, court filings showed the owner of that leased property reported

“The gate lock had been cut and someone attempted to remove a trailer of hand sanitizer from the property."

With 20 acres of ponds on his property and a well for his water source, Hart worries if it's been contaminated.

“Are you going to destroy and create cancer for all of us people across the fence here, for whoever’s eating the fish out of here? People wondering why they’re sick or the fish start floating?” Hart said.

Neither Brannan Bordwine nor his attorney returned calls for comment.