CONCORD, N.C.,None — A huge pile of debris at a Concord construction company continues to burn next to a local neighborhood.
For the third day in a row, a thick haze covered portions of the Gable Oaks subdivision. Homeowners there said they're concerned about potential effects on their homes. The property has worried them for years, they said, and they've been fighting to get it cleaned up.
SLIDESHOW: Concord Firefighters Battle Fire
RAW VIDEO: Fire Burns Through Concord Debris Pile
"This really makes it clear that something needs to be done," said Richard Sorrell, president of the Gable Oaks Homeowners Association.
Sorrell said about a year and a half ago, Overcash Gravel and Grading wanted to build a concrete facility on the site as part of a larger development plan. The Gabel Oaks community fought that plan and won, but it's still fighting to get what area residents see as an eyesore cleaned up.
The owner of the property, Ronald Overcash, died in May. Richard Jordan said he was then brought in to help reorganize the company.
"We certainly are trying to be proactive. We've been doing a lot of cleaning ever since we took the property over," Jordan said.
He said while they've tried to clear the pile of debris that caught fire, it takes time and money. He added that the property will continue to be used as a construction site.
Overcash existed long before Gable Oaks was built. When Concord annexed the area, Overcash was allowed to continue to operate his business.
But while the Overcash property may have been first, Sorrell said it no longer fits in with future plans for the area. He said he hopes to set up a meeting between people who live in the subdivision and city leaders as early as next week. He wants to discuss a number of things, including who, if anyone, would pay for any smoke damage the fire has caused to the inside of homes.
Officials said they are continuing to monitoring air quality in the area around the fire. They also said they worked with Overcash to ensure his landfill operation was in compliance with city ordinances.
Previous Stories: November 22, 2010: Concord Debris Fire Smolders For Days