Mystery Ash Settles On Car Dealership

August 12, 2004

A local used car dealer in Oneida says that for two successive weekends, a "mystery" ash has settled on his cars and those of a nearby dealer . . . the source of which is not yet known.

On Monday morning, Mike Lloyd of Lloyd's Auto Sales showed the Independent Herald the black-colored ash that covered the vehicles in his lot, located just off U.S. 27 behind Marcum's Auto Parts. He said Tennessee Motors, located less than a block away, was experiencing similar problems.

"I'd hate to make anybody mad over this, but I need to find out what it is and where it's coming from," Lloyd said. "I've been able to wash it off of most of the cars, but there's one that's going to have to be repainted. It just won't come off."

He reported the incident to the Oneida Police Department and a report was filed by Officer Jason Pike.

Lloyd said this was the second straight weekend that his cars had been dusted with the copier toner-like substance. "You leave at night and they're clean; you come back the next morning and they're covered with this stuff.

"We need to know what this is and where it's coming from . . . it's not just the expense of the clean-up, but we're breathing this stuff," Lloyd said.

If the source of the mystery ash is not discovered - and quickly - Lloyd said he intends to notify the Environmental Protection Agency.

news@ihoneida.com

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