CHARLESTON, WV - <\/p>\n
The man caught at the center of the water crisis made a confession Tuesday. <\/p>\n
\"Of course we feel bad,\" said Gary Southern, the CEO of Freedom Industries. <\/p>\n
Company executives testified in federal bankruptcy court Tuesday morning. Southern and Chief Financial Officer Terry Cline also answered questions about Freedom's assets and liabilities. <\/p>\n
The company became infamous almost instantly Jan. 9, when first responders discovered the chemical crude MCHM had escaped from a storage tank last month, tainting the drinking water of nearly 300,000 West Virginians. <\/p>\n
\"This has been an extremely traumatic event for everybody to deal with, particularly our employees,\" said Southern, addressing the media outside the courthouse. <\/p>\n
The executives testified that operations were \"winding down\" as they continue to liquidate their inventory. <\/p>\n
\"I\"ve pretty much lived at Freedom Industries,\" Southern said, claiming he oversaw clean-up efforts every day. <\/p>\n
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection ordered the company to start tearing down the Etowah River Terminal by March 15. One day after the spill, environmental regulators ordered Freedom Industries to remove all materials from the leak site. Southern said Freedom is \"in compliance with the de-commission of the Etowah Terminal.\" <\/p>\n
Cline and Southern said Tuesday most materials had been relocated, but some chemicals may still remain in the tanks. He previously estimated clean-up costs at $800,000 in the first week after the spill. <\/p>\n
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Freedom Industries CEO speaks out about the chemical leak<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CHARLESTON, WV - The man caught at the center of the water crisis made a confession Tuesday. \"Of course we feel bad,\" said Gary Southern, the CEO of Freedom Industries Continue reading