ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. — This year, WFMY News 2 turns 75 and to celebrate, we are opening the News 2 Vault.
February 2, 2014, began a big mess in Rockingham County.
That's the day a Duke Energy stormwater pipe broke and released 39,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River.
People reported seeing grey water up to 70 miles away a few days after the spill. This was the third worst coal ash spill in U.S. history.
Coal ash is the waste left over when coal is burned for electricity. It can contain contaminants, leading to great concern for those living along the river.
The EPA ordered Duke Energy to clean up the river and move all its coal ash to specially lined landfills.
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