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The DEP also tested six samples taken from the Waters, Porter and Danvers rivers and found measurable amounts of just one substance, methyl ethyl ketone, at amounts that were just a very small fraction of what officials believe would cause any damage. The highest level detected was 125 parts per billion in the Waters River, nearest the blast. By contrast, officials would be concerned by a level of 200,000 parts per billion, Coletta said.

Berms were set up around the scene Wednesday to prevent further runoff from yesterday's rains from entering the river, Coletta said, and Clean Harbors, an environmental remediation company, set up trucks equipped with vacuum pumps to remove any contaminated water from the scene. Storm drains were also plugged to prevent runoff from entering the river.

There are still hazardous materials on the site, including 6,000 gallons of chemicals stored in underground tanks, which Farrell said had not been compromised.

However, officials are concerned about the structural integrity of a number of steel 55-gallon drums used to store chemicals in the plant. There is concern that those metal drums may have been affected by the heat of the fire. As a result, a hazmat response team will move the drums into larger plastic containers.

Investigators have also inspected the storage facilities at Eastern Propane, just across the street from the blast site, and have determined that everything there appears to be stable.

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