U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT Former Alice Mills Fire - Removal Polrep Initial and Final Removal Polrep UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Region I
Subject:	POLREP #1 First and Final Former Alice Mills Fire 01HH Woonsocket, RI Latitude: 42.0034855 Longitude: -71.5223478
To:
From:	Karen Way, OSC
Date:	6/28/2011
Reporting Period:	09 June 2011 - 10 June 2011
1. Introduction   1.1 Background     Site Number: 01HH    Contract Number:   D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:   Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Emergency Response Lead:    Incident Category: NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit: Mobilization Date: 6/9/2011    Start Date: 6/9/2011 Demob Date: 6/10/2011    Completion Date: 6/10/2011 CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID: ERNS No.:    State Notification: FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #: 1.1.1 Incident Category Emergency Response 1.1.2 Site Description On the evening of 07 June 2011, an 8-alarm fire occurred at the Alice Mills property in Woonsocket, RI.  Evacuations were in place overnight for several streets in the vicinity of the fire, which included approximately 10 residences.  Power was disrupted for several hundred residents but was restored by the following morning. The Former Alice Mills Rubber Manufacturing Plant was built in 1889 and was located on a seven acre parcel of land.  The mill building was a 217,000 square foot, multi-story structure that originally produced rubber goods.  Tech Industries (Portola Tech) manufactured plastics at the mill and vacated the premises in 2009.  American Wood Pellet Co. is the current owner of the property. 1.1.2.1 Location The Site is located at 58 Fairmount Street in Woonsocket, RI.  It is bordered by the Blackstone River on the West and South side and by residential and commerical properties on the North and East side.  Approximately 1,142 people reside within a quarter mile of the Site. 1.1.2.2 Description of Threat Possible asbestos containing materials (ACM) were reported in several areas of Massachusetts from the debris fallout resulting from the Former Alice Mills fire.  It was also reported that residents in the vicinity of the mill were complaining about a rubber odor in the air and sore throats.  Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were potentially being emitted from the fire.  2. Current Activities   2.1 Operations Section     2.1.1 Narrative On Wednesday, 08 June 2011, EPA learned of the fire at the Former Alice Mills Rubber Manufacturing Plant in Woonsocket, RI from a local news report.  EPA contacted Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM) to offer assistance and found that RI DEM had not been notified of the fire by the local responders.  RI DEM responded immediately after notification was received on Wednesday morning.  They reported to EPA that the building was vacant at the time of the fire and no evidence of an oil or hazmat release was found. Massachusetts Department of Evironmental Protection (MassDEP) received reports of possible ACM in debris fallout from the fire in Woonsocket, RI, in the towns of Blackstone, Bellingham and Franklin, MA.  These towns are located a few miles northeast of the Former Alice Mills Plant.  MassDEP requested EPA's assistance with conducting air sampling in the effected areas to determine if any ACM was present in the air or debris. 2.1.2 Response Actions to Date At 1030 on 09 June 2011, OSC Way arrived at the Blackstone Municipal Building, Blackstone, MA, to meet with MassDEP and RI DEM to develop a coordinated strategy for air sampling based upon reported areas of debris fallout.  We met with Chief Sweeney from the Blackstone Fire Department (FD) who confirmed that the debris appeared to be burnt and reports had come in from as far as 4 miles away in Franklin, MA. Debris Sitings:     -    Harris Street, Woonsocket, RI - widespread caked debris (Confirmed by Blackstone Water Department)     -    Boundary of Franklin & Bellingham, MA, Sawmill area (Confirmed by Water Department)     -    Southwest Harris Pond, Blackstone, MA, in vicinity of cemetary (Confirmed by Blackstone FD) EPA's Superfund Technical Assistance and Response Team (START) contractors and two additional EPA OSCs arrived to provide sampling support.  The group split into two teams (1-MA & 1-RI) and proceeded with the sampling plan.  EPA agreed to collect 5 air samples for asbestos in both MA and RI using Gillian pumps.  EPA determined sample time to be 6-hours based on the flow rate of the pumps and sampling areas were determined by the confirmed reports of debris in Blackstone, Bellingham and Franklin, MA and in the vicintiy of the mill in Woonsocket, RI.  EPA attempted to secure the sample pumps at schools and fire departments in those areas to reduce the possiblity of vandalism by the public.  Any bulk debris encountered that appeared to be ACM were also collected for asbestos analysis.  In addition, mini-summa cans were utilized to collect 5 grab air samples for VOC analysis around the perimeter of the mill in Woonsocket, RI. Actual samples collected on 09 June 2011: 9 - Air samples for asbestos     3 - Blackstone, MA     1 - Bellingham, MA     1 - Franklin, MA     4 - Woonsocket, RI (Pump at 5th Avenue School was vandalized) 2 - Bulk debris samples for asbestos collected in Blackstone, MA 5 - Air samples for VOCs in Woonsocket, RI Due to adverse weather conditions during the evening hours of 09 June 2011 (cold front passing through causing severe thunderstorms), OSC Way, START, MassDEP and RI DEM decided to return to the mill site in Woonsocket, RI the following morning to repeat the air samples for VOCs in the same locations and take any additional air samples deemed necessary. At 0930 on 10 June 2011, OSC Way, START, MassDEP and RI DEM reconvened at the Blackstone Municipal Building and proceded to Woonsocket, RI to collect duplicate air samples under more favorable weather conditions than the previous evening.  In addition to the 5 previous sampling locations, 2 more air samples were collected in downwind areas.  While collecting the air samples for VOC analysis, 4 MultiRaes were used to monitor the ambient air in the vicinity of the mill property.  Sensors within these monitors included:  HCN, NH3, VOC, SO2, Cl2, CO, O2 and LEL.  No levels above backgroud were detected on any of the MultiRaes. All samples from 09 and 10 June 2011 were sent to a contract lab for analysis.  Sample Analysis Results Asbestos Air Samples 8 out of 9 samples showed trace levels of contaminants which were all well below any standard and were believed to be mold/pollen.  The 3 samples with the highest levels were then analyzed by Transmission Electron Microscopy to verify no asbestos was present.  All results were negative for asbestos. Asbestos Bulk Samples All results were negative for asbestos. VOC Air Samples All results were reviewed by ATSDR and none of the samples contained VOCs at concentrations that presented any threat to the public.  No further actions are necessary by EPA responders. 2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) 2.1.4 Progress Metrics Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal                                       2.2 Planning Section     2.2.1 Anticipated Activities No further action anticipated by EPA. 2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities 2.2.1.2 Next Steps 2.2.2 Issues   2.3 Logistics Section     No information available at this time.   2.4 Finance Section     No information available at this time.   2.5 Other Command Staff     2.5.1 Safety Officer 2.6 Liaison Officer 2.7 Information Officer 2.7.1 Public Information Officer EPA Public Affairs coordinated with their MassDEP and RI DEM counterparts. 2.7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator N/A 3. Participating Entities   3.1 Unified Command MassDEP RI DEM EPA 3.2 Cooperating Agencies ATSDR Blackstone Fire Department 4. Personnel On Site   09 June 2011     2 - MassDEP     1 - RI DEM     3 - EPA OSCs     4 - START 10 June 2011     1 - MassDEP     1 - RI DEM     1 - EPA OSCs     2 - START 5. Definition of Terms   No information available at this time. 6. Additional sources of information   No information available at this time. 7. Situational Reference Materials   No information available at this time.