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Table of Contents
The 1969 Cuyahoga River Fire, Ohio
Oil slicks, debris, and chemicals turned Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River into a fire hazard by 1969. When it finally ignited that summer, the flames barely made local news. But those 30 minutes of burning water would soon trigger the biggest environmental cleanup in US history.
Here’s the story behind the blaze that launched the modern green movement.
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Creating a Flammable River
After the Civil War, Cleveland grew into an industrial center with factories lining the Cuyahoga River. Steel mills, paint companies, and oil refineries dumped waste directly into the water…