U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Old Bassett Warehouse Fire - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region III
Subject: POLREP #5
Progress POLREP
Old Bassett Warehouse Fire

Bassett, VA
Latitude: 36.7689876 Longitude: -80.0033104

To:
From: Stephanie Wenning, OSC
Myles Bartos, OSC
Date: 6/11/2012
Reporting Period: June 3 to June 9, 2012

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: A3SZ    Contract Number: EP-S3-12-03
D.O. Number: 1    Action Memo Date: 4/27/2012
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Time-Critical
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 5/9/2012    Start Date: 5/19/2012
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID: VAN000306849    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Time-critical removal action.

1.1.2 Site Description

On November 21, 2011, an arson fire destroyed a 300,000 square foot brick, timber, and steel warehouse building on Trent Hill Drive in Henry County, Virginia.  The warehouse, formerly used by the Bassett Furniture Company, was owned by a non-profit entity which used it to store items for distribution to charities.  The fire resulted in the collapse of approximately half of the building leaving a debris pile of roughly 5 acres.  While investigating the fire, suspected asbestos-containing material (ACM) was identified by local responders.  On December 1, 2011, Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VADEM) called the National Response Center (NRC) and reported the findings of potential ACM.  EPA responded to the report and VADEM requested assistance with assessing the situation.

1.1.2.1 Location

Bassett, Henry County, Virginia.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Friable asbestos containing materials (ACM) exposed to the environment.  

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

During the fire investigation, suspected ACM was spotted.  Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (VADOLI) mobilized to Site and confirmed, via visual characterization, that there was significant asbestos materials present in the rubble of the building.  EPA performed two sampling events, an initial assessment was performed in December 2011 and additional sampling occurred in January 2012.  Samples collected during both events at the Site revealed the presence of material containing up to 40 % friable asbestos in the debris located throughout the Site.
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

An action memorandum was signed on April 27, 2012 authorizing EPA to begin fund lead removal activities at the Old Bassett Warehouse Fire Site.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date


ERRS continued to segregate steel from the debris pile, wash it, and stage it for potential recycling by REA.  Damaged, partially collapsed walls and roofing were carefully demolished and staged for disposal.  Copious amounts of water, from a water truck and fire hydrant, were used to adequately wet the materials to comply with all substantive requirements of NESHAPs.  

Personal air monitoring continued during all operations to ensure worker safety.  Samples were analyzed via Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM) using NIOSH Method 7400.   All results except for two ranged between .0024f/cc and .00934 l/cc.  This is well below the NIOSH limit of .1f/cc that requires respirator protection.   The two samples, .0114 f/cc and .0106 f/cc respectively, were collected on the same day during efforts to recover the tool that allegedly started the fire. During this sifting, handtools (rakes and shovels) were used to move small pieces of brick and debris.  While water was still utilized to maintain sufficiently wetted materials, it was less concentrated than during normal operations.   At no time was there visible emissions from in or around the work area(s) in question.

All hot zone work is being performed in Level C personnel protective equipment (PPE). 
 

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

Resource Exchange Associates has been identified as the owner of the building in question.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
           
           
           


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

EPA will continue removal activities to mitigate the threat to human health and the environment posed by friable asbestos containing material located on site.  Approximately 17 drums with unknown contents were discovered in the debris pile.  The drums have been staged and will be sampled to determine their contents and arrange for disposal.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

Arrangements will be made for off-site transportation and disposal of the ACM. 

2.2.2 Issues

Asbestos falls under a nationally significant or precedent setting issue and EPA headquarters has concurred with the action memorandum. 
  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
    No information available at this time.
3. Participating Entities
  No information available at this time.
4. Personnel On Site
  EPA:    1 On Scene Coordinator
ERRS:  1 Response Manager
            1 Field Cost Accountant
            4 Equipment Operators
            4 Cleanup Technicians
            1 Truck Driver
START: 1 Environmental Technician
5. Definition of Terms
 
ACM
CERCLA		 Asbestos containing material
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
EPA
ERRS		 Environmental Protection Agency
Emergency and Rapid Response Services
HASP
NESHAPS
OSC
POLREP
PPE
PRP
START

Health and Safety Plan
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
On-Scene Coordinator
Pollution Report
Personal Protective Equipment
Potentially Responsible Party
Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team
VADEM
VADEQ
VADOLI		 Virginia Department of Emergency Management
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry


6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
The OSC has established a website at www.epaosc.org/oldbassettwarehousefire.

6.2 Reporting Schedule
7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.