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Lafayette Square residents laud Praxair, but still await moving date

Praxair (File)
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By Matt Sepic, KWMU

St. Louis, MO – Residents of the Lafayette Square neighborhood say the Praxair company has been responsive to their concerns. But they would still like to know when the company will move.

A fire one month ago at Praxair's distribution plant on Chouteau Avenue sent exploding gas cylinders rocketing hundreds of feet into the air. Some landed on homes in Lafayette Square.

"They're responding well, but the only thing we have not heard from them is the very clear timetable of when they're leaving our neighborhood,"said Jim Willmore, president of the neighborhood association.

Company spokeswoman Susan Szita-Gore says that's still being worked out.

"We haven't made any specific decisions yet," Szita-Gore said. "It's still in the very preliminary stages. But some potential sites have been identified, but I don't have any additional information on that."

Szita-Gore says Praxair has paid 45 of about 100 insurance claims so far, and cleanup of the plant is nearly complete.

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