>>> CHICAGO OFFICIALS COULD HAVE PREVENTED A PLUME OF DUST FROM ENVELOPING A VILLAGE IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THAT IS ACCORDING TO A CONFIDENTIAL WATCHDOG REPORT OBTAINED BY WTTW NEWS FROM OUR REPORTER HEATHER WHO JOINS US NOW WITH THIS.

HEATHER , THIS 94-PAGE REPORT WAS FILED JUST BEFORE HE LEFT OFFICE.

WHAT DID HE FIND?

>> Reporter: HE FOUND THAT THE CITY COULD HAVE PREVENTED A CLOUD OF DUST FROM ENVELOPING SIX BLOCKS OF A VILLAGE.

THE CITY AGREED TO AMEND A PERMIT FIRST ISSUED IN JULY 2018 THAT DID NOT SEEK PERMISSION TO USE EXPLOSIVES TO DEMOLISH THE SMOKESTACK.

>> SO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOUND THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.

WHY WASN'T IT?

WHY ARE WE JUST LEARNING ABOUT IT NOW?

>> Reporter: FERGUSON FOUND THAT THIS WAS A BREAKDOWN OF OVERSIGHT AND CONSTITUTED BUREAUCRATIC ACQUIESCENCE IN NEGLIGENT DEMOLITIONS THAT GENERATED A DUST CLOUD ON-SITE THAT WAS PREDICTABLY PROPELLED THROUGH THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY OF CHICAGO'S LITTLE VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO IT WASN'T ONE PERSON AT FAULT.

IT WAS A SYSTEMIC BREAKDOWN.

OFFICIALS DID NOT REQUIRE THIS NEW PERMIT, WHICH MEANT THAT OFFICIALS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH DID NOT ENSURE THAT THERE WERE ADEQUATE MEASURES IN PLACE TO STOP THAT DUST CLOUD.

>> SO THE ONLY DISCIPLINE HANDED OUT FOR CITY OFFICIALS TO THE THREE EMPLOYEES WAS A WRITTEN REPRIMAND.

YOU SPOKE WITH ALDERMAN MIKE RODRIGUEZ WHO REPRESENTS THE SIX BLOCKS THAT WERE COVERED BY THIS DUST CLOUD.

WHAT DOES HE THINK?

>> Reporter: HE SEES THIS AS AN EXAMPLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN