News is sketchy at first as the company and the government both try to deal with the situation without alarming the public. Very soon, though, it becomes apparent that there is no way of containing what they've found and speculation runs amok as scientists try to identify the green foam that is spreading like wildfire all over the city. Originally thought to be some sort of pollution, it soon becomes clear that it is much more and that the authorities have no idea what to do about the situation. Demonstrations are held to force the government to tell them just what is going on, but no information is forthcoming. Homes are destroyed as the green foam, dubbed 'POD' by the press, makes its way through sewer systems and up drains and pipes.
Days go by and still nothing from official sources.
Finally a representative of the Io Mining Company comes forward after stock prices plummet leaving the company floundering for public support. The details are that POD was accidentally discovered deep in Mineshaft 14 of Plant 21. POD, a fungus, is a terrestrial spore that is native to Io's ecosystem. Normally dormant, POD becomes extremely active in an oxygen environment and proceeds to 'eat' its way through anything it can find. Drilling in the mineshaft punctured an airtight pocket of POD, exposing it to the oxygen rich atmosphere of Io.