United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region I
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

EPA first responded to the incident late in the evening on Tuesday, 26 April 2005 to provide air-monitoring support to the State of Connecticut’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at a fire at the InterRoyal facility.  Sampling locations initially included, but were not limited to, two nearby schools in the plume of smoke created by the fire.  At the request of EPA, a representative from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) came to the scene to help assess the risk posed by asbestos at the Site.

On Wednesday, 27 April 2005, the fire department had contained the fire, but large amounts of smoke continued to emanate from the building remains.  The fire department initiated a voluntary evacuation of approximately 20 duplex residences on nearby First Street, and two nearby schools did not open.  DEP collected samples of debris that had settled on residential properties.  Eleven of fourteen samples of this paper-thin, friable material revealed the presence of asbestos at a concentration exceeding one percent (1%).  DEP mobilized its emergency response contractor to being collecting this debris from residential properties.

The fire at the abandoned InterRoyal facility has transported asbestos-containing material over an area estimated to be five miles long by one-half mile wide.  Based on funding limitations and the magnitude of the problem, DEP requested that EPA take over the cleanup of asbestos-containing material.  Based on this request, discussions with local, state, and federal health agencies, and the presence of friable asbestos-containing material on residential properties, EPA’s Superfund Removal Program initiated an emergency removal action on the morning of Thursday, 28 April 2005.  EPA assumed the role of lead agency for the environmental cleanup at 8:00 a.m.

The fire has destroyed approximately one-third of the building.  The balance of the building has no electricity, water, or fire protection.  Most of the windows are broken, and large portions of the roof have collapsed.

- EPA continues to direct response activities related to the collection of debris deposited during InterRoyal Mill fire in Plainfield, CT.  EPA is coordinating with the Plainfield Fire department as they continue to monitor the status of “hotspots.”  This morning the fire department watered two small hotspot areas that flared up creating increased smoke; firefighting activities concluded at 12:15pm. After fire suppression activities concluded smoke was not visible.  The fire department deployed a boom/ladder truck so aerial photographs of the mill can be taken.  The crane remains on-site while the hotspots are an issue.  

- EPA is continuing to monitor the particulate concentration levels around the mill.  Monitoring locations are checked hourly and readings recorded.  Monitoring through the overnight and today have shown that particulate concentrations are below Site action levels, with the exception of two locations to the north and west of the mill, which showed elevated levels the 9:00am and 10:00am check; however, the readings at the stations showed particulate concentrations to be back below 150ug/m3 after the fire department had addressed the hotspots.  The site action level for particulates in air is 150 ug/m3, which was developed by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) as a incident specific recommendation for unrestriced use and reoccupancy.

- The extent of potential debris deposition is still believed to be the approximately 5 mile by ½ mile area, bordered on the south by the mill itself, to the east by Route 12, to the west by the Quinebaug Management Area, and to the north by Sacred Heart Cemetery/Chestnut Street in Brooklyn, CT.

- Residences continue to be a priority for the cleanup.  Cleanup crews targeted debris along Oak Street and Jackson Road Today.  Properties on Basinet Road, Cemetery Road, North Pleasant, and the Central Village FD were cleared yesterday.  All of Lovers Lane has been cleared except three properties.  

- The containment tent for HEPA vacuum bag change-out is scheduled to be constructed in preparation for the ground being dry enough to use the backpack HEPA vacs effectively.  

- Office trailers will not be delivered to the site as space in the Plainfield town hall has been made available.  EPA IT support contractor is currently investigating connectivity options for the space made available in town hall.  The ERRS contractor and CT DEP are currently located in the town hall and the EPA Mobile Command Post continues to remain on-site and is providing critical workstations and communications capabilities.

- Plainfield Police Department is maintaining Site security.  The ERRS contractor has addressed the compromised portion of fence that was previously identified.  

- Cleanup crews continue to perform debris collection in Modified Level D PPE, except during change-out of HEPA vacuum collection bags, when Level C PPE will be worn.  In addition, cleanup crews reported that their safety glasses were fogging.  It was determined that fogging glasses were creating a slip/trip/fall hazard and reduced visibility for sighting debris.  EPA, CT DEP, and START representatives determined that safety glasses did not need to be worn while the wet ground conditions keeps dust from becoming an issue.  This issue will be re-evaluated as necessary.

- A Motor Cross event (approximately 300 persons in attendance), located within the debris deposition zone, was being held today.  CT DEP spoke with the property owner who indicated that he had scanned the area to be used for the event and had not observed any debris.  A public address was made at the event instructing attendees to leave any observed debris alone and report it to the owner or the hotline.