At 0855 hrs, the EPA phone duty officer Bazenas received a call from MASS DEP - Southeast Regional Office in regard to a three alarm fire at the GW Foundry on 128 Bay State Road in Rehoboth, MA. Explosions were reported from the facility at ~ 0800hrs. Unknown chemicals are involved in the fire. MASS DEP responders are at the scene; District HAZMAT team is en route. No injuries reported at this time. There is a daycare across the street and an elementary school within one half mile; no information about evacuations at this time.
Responder OSC Mia Pasquerella was dispatched to the incident at 0905. with support from WESTONSOLUTIONS/ START contractors. ETA is 1030hrs.
Media coverage from Providence has been reported.
Updates will follow as information is received from the field
UPDATE
OSC Pasquerella and OSC Way provided the following information update:
The OSCs arrived at the scene at 1030 and integrated into the Incident Command Structure.
As of 1200hrs:
- the primary fire had been extinguished; hot spots and smoldering areas remained active. The building had been nearly completely consumed by the fire and explosion.
- chemicals involved were sulfuric acid, alcohol mixture with toluene, and a furan resin
- initial fire occured when incompatible chemicals were accidentally mixed due to residual liqquids ina mixing container
- 11 employees evacuated the facility; minutes later an explosion occured; there were no injuries sustained.
- handheld air monitoring by MASS DEP and District 1 HAZMAT have been at backround levels for VOCs
- some smoke continued to be released
- runoff water pH is near neutral; an adjacent brook did receive some runoff, but a low berm was constructed to contain the water. Most runoff has been contained within the building footprint.
- the facility operators have hired an environmental company to assist with cleanup activities.
- The MASS DEP mobile laboratory had arrived at the scene to begin screening air and water samples.
- OSC Pasquerella is releasing . the EPA contractors from the scene. MASS DEP has not requested additional assitance from EPA.
- The OSCs will remain at the incident to evaluate the results of the mobile lab analysis.
UPDATE
AT 1435hrs, OSCs Pasquerella and Way reported the following:
- the fire was extinguished shortly after 1230hrs
- the environmental contractor delivered an excavator to the incident; the machine was used to create an earthen berm around the building to better contain any additional run-off water, and to knock down the remaining walls of the building.
- the MASS DEP mobile lab screened air and water samples - only background levels of VOCs were detected; run-off water was found to contain only very low levels of VOCs and moderately elevated pH.
- the DEP mobile lab will remain on scene to continue screening air and water samples.
- District 1 HAZMAT has demobilized, as have of the mutual aide fire companies; Rehoboth Fire will remain on scene to manage any remaining hot spots or flare ups.
- MASS DEP responders will remain on scene to monitor cleanup activities
EPA OSCs Pasquerella and Way demobilized at 1430hrs.
- CASE CLOSED
