They also said when fires or chemical disasters devastate vegetation so swiftly, it is often a harbinger of harm to local residents. The same pollutants stunting the growth cycle of trees in the woods, could also work their way into water, soil, and lungs. But Scott Smith, the independent contamination expert, tested residents’ soil and soot, and found 29 different metals and toxins, including lead. In Roseland, most families rely on their gardens, animals, and local water to sustain them. “This explosion was not an accident,” wrote LaCrisha McAllister, an attorney representing some Roseland residents, in a statement to Capital B.