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Murray Road PGE Substation Fire

 
Site Contact:
Dan Heister
On-Scene Coordinator

(heister.dan@epa.gov)

Site Location:
14800 Scholls Ferry Rd.
behind Murray Hill Shopping Center
Beaverton, OR 97007
 response.epa.gov/Murrayrdsub

A large substation fire occurred the afternoon of 5/17/2009 behind a shopping center in Beaverton, OR. The substion was in close proximity to homes and the fire was spectacular in nature. The local fire department (Tualitin Valley Fire and Rescue, TVFR) responded and kept the fire and subsequent dielectric oil release on site. No water was applied and TVFR monitored the fire for several hours until it burned out. OSC Heister was on scene the morning of 5/18/2009 to meet with representatives of Portland General Electric (PGE) to see if the dielectric oil contained PCB and to determine if it had reached Creek


Sorbents and countermeasures at spill site. Sorbents and countermeasures at spill site. Dirlectric oil spill pathway. Burned out skid mount portable GE transformer. 3120 gallons of oil at 4 ppm PCB. Main source of fire. Racks of PCB Capacitor in NW corner of substation. Unaffected by the fire. Carcasses of two 9 gallon station transformers
For additional information, visit the Pollution/Situation Report (Pol/Sitreps) section.