U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Belmont Avenue Warehouse Fire - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region V
Subject: POLREP #2
Progress
Belmont Avenue Warehouse Fire

Indianapolis, IN
Latitude: 39.7613920 Longitude: -86.1985070

To:
From: Jaime Brown, On-Scene Coordinator
Date: 6/22/2013
Reporting Period: 06/20/2013 through 06/26/2013

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: C5U7    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:  
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 6/20/2013    Start Date: 6/21/2013
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Incident Category:  Spill or other one-time event

1.1.2 Site Description
The site is the Belmont Avenue Warehouse Fire.  It is comprised of a warehouse that contained materials for recycling, including tires and asphalt roofing shingles.  The warehouse also contained wooden pallets, propane tanks, and heavy equipment.  The facility caught fire the morning of June 15, 2013.

1.1.2.1 Location
The site is located at 220 S. Belmont Avenue in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana.  Site coordinates are 39.7587870 degrees north latitude and 86.1973720 degrees west longitude.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Asbestos containing roofiing material was released to the environment as a result of the fire. The Marion County Public Health Department requested assistance after analytical results confirmed the presence of asbestos in the debris. 

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
See Section 2.1.
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative
The Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) requested assistance with air monitoring from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on June 15, 2013.  On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) Shelly Lam responded.  OSC Lam mobilized the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contractor, the Environmental Response Team (ERT), and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). MCPHD requested further assistance with recovering fugitive roofing material (debris) containing asbestos. OSC Jaime Brown responded to  assess the extent of dispersal and to coordinate response activities.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
EPA worked in conjunction with MCPHD and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to conduct the response actions listed below. 

  • Mobilized to site and met with Response Manager, MCPHD and property owner;
  • Mobilized twelve members of the Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) and one START member to the site on 06/22/2013;
  • Began removal activities in the evacuation area and extending outward to the northwest including, wetting and bagging of roofing debris;
  • Conducted monitoring for asbestos and particulates using personal air monitoring pumps;
  • Collected samples for asbestos analysis.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
EPA is gathering information about the tenants and owners of the building that caught fire.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics
Area 1 is defined as the primary area of concern based on deposition of the roofing debris.  As of 06/26 80% of this area has been addressed with visible debris being removed from public right of ways and front yards. Crews also addressed The IUPUI campus and as of 6/26 95% of the campus was rechecked after campus personnel initial removed visible debris. ERRS crews also began to address the call-in list provided by MCPHD.


 R5 Priorities Summary
This is an Integrated River Assessment.  The numbers should overlap. Miles of river systems cleaned and/or restored 0
Cubic yards of contaminated sediments removed and/or capped 0
Gallons of oil/water recovered 0
Acres of soil/sediment cleaned up in floodplains and riverbanks 0
Stand Alone Assessment Acres Protected 0
Number of contaminated residential yards cleaned up 0
Human Health Exposures Avoided 1,000
Number of workers on site Unknown
Contaminant(s) of Concern
Contaminant(s) of Concern Asbestos, particulate matter


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
The following sections detail anticipated activities.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
EPA will continue to address the MCPHD call-in reports and work to gain access to properties in area 1 to survey backyards.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
EPA will submit air samples for analysis, and will provide sample results to MCPHD and IDEM. EPA will attempt to gain access to properties to ensure that roofing debris is removed from the area.

2.2.2 Issues
None
  2.3 Logistics Section
    none
  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer
OSC Brown was the safety officer for EPA's activities.

2.5.2 Liaison Officer
Not applicable (NA)

2.5.3 Information Officer
MCPHD is acting as the lead for media inquiries.  OSC Brown provided interviews to two television news stations and participated in a joint news conference.
3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command
None

3.2 Cooperating Agencies
EPA received support from IFD, MCPHD, IDEM, and ATSDR.
4. Personnel On Site
  The following personnel were supporting air monitoring operations:

EPA 1 OSC
ERRS 13 members
START 1 START
RP 10 contractors
5. Definition of Terms
 
ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ERT Environmental Response Team
IDEM Indiana Department of Environmental Management
IFD Indianapolis Fire Department
MCPHD Marion County Public Health Department
NA Not applicable
OSC On-Scene Coordinator
PAH Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons
PIO Public Information Officer
PM 2.5 2.5 micron particulate matter
PolRep Pollution Report
ppb parts per billion
ppm parts per million
PRP Potentially Responsible Party
SPM Single Point Monitor
START Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team
TDD Technical Direction Document
ug/m3 micrograms per cubic meter
VOC Volatile Organic Compounds


6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
The OSC has posted additional information to www.epaosc.org/belmontavefire.

6.2 Reporting Schedule
The OSC will submit additional PolReps as needed.
7. Situational Reference Materials
  NA