DAYTON — Cleanup crews have started clearing the charred remains of The Tasty Bird Market in Dayton,
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The site in the Dunbar Village area has been a source of frustration for residents, who say they have waited too long for action.
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The building burned down on May 8, and investigators believe it was arson.
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Cleanup efforts continued throughout the day, with crews clearing waste for several hours.
The delay in cleanup efforts has drawn criticism from residents.
Alex Gonzalez, who lives behind the building, voiced his mixed emotions about the cleanup.
“The biggest emotion is thank the Lord it’s done. The other is like sour towards the city,” Gonzalez said.
He noted that his daughters can no longer play in their yard.
“It’s been just difficult, you know, frustrating. We didn’t expect it to be two months until they would get it cleaned up,” he said.
John Scott owns Bladecutters, which is the company conducting the cleanup. He said the delays were partly due to the insurance investigation and the time required to secure permits.
>>RELATED: Flames rip through, destroy Dayton convenience store
“The delay was caused by the insurance, I think, because they have to investigate it and it just takes a little bit of time. It also takes a little bit of time to get the permits and all that,” Scott said.
The cleanup work involves specific safety measures due to potential hazards.
Scott said that all workers wear hazmat uniforms when loading trucks because asbestos testing could not be conducted after the fire.
His company also must prepare a waste manifest detailing the disposal location for the material.
Gonzalez has actively sought responses from city officials, reaching out to the mayor and speaking at a city commission meeting.
He also filed a claim with the property’s insurance, which he said was denied.
“No one…not a firefighter, not an officer, not a government official came to check on us the day after the fire, the day of the fire," Gonzalez said.
The Dayton Fire Department confirmed that no known additional hazards were present in the air after the incident.
The investigation into the fire remains active and ongoing.
Cleanup operations at the site are expected to be completed within the next two weeks.
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