Site Location
The 9.6 acre Brunswick Mill Site (Site), located at 57-59 Brunswick Avenue in a residential area of the town of Plainfield, Windham County, Connecticut, is bordered to the north by the Moosup River and North Main Street (Route 14); to the east by the Moosup River; to the south by Brunswick Ave., a private residence, and a Town sewer pump station; and to the west by private residences. The site includes an abandoned two-story office building, a demolished three-story mill building, and a garage. The abandoned mill building had been destroyed by a fire in 2000, but the northern and eastern portions of the mill remain largely intact. The majority of the mill building is in a state of disrepair with portions having collapsed onto themselves or into the Moosup River, a Class A river under the Connecticut State Water Classification Program. The river is used for fishing and various other recreational activities. Approximately 57 homes are located within a quarter mile. An elementary school is located approximately half a mile away.
Description of threat
The Site was owned and operated by a defunct business, Brunswick Worsted Mills, Inc. (Brunswick) and is located adjacent to another mill operated by a related company, Carvill Combing Company (Carvill). Industrial operations took place at both facilities from the 1890s until the 1970s.
On October 21, 2000, a fire broke out and destroyed the abandoned mill building. After the fire, the three story structure began to collapse. On October 23, 2000, the town of Plainfield hired a construction company to stabilize the building. In the course of performing this work, the construction company discovered abandoned transformers and exposed asbestos, and immediately ceased operations. The fire had also caused asbestos from the building to be released into the environment. Subsequently, CT DEP and the Town referred the Site to EPA’s Removal Program.
