The site is a trucking terminal located within an industrial park at 33 Silva Lane in Dracut, Massachusetts. The terminal is operated by Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (Old Dominion). A trailer containing hazardous materials had been scheduled to be shipped out on July 27, but was reportedly delayed overnight due to traffic restrictions relating to the Democratic National Convention (DNC). The trailer contained five 3300-pound totes of 40% NaOH and two 500-pound drums of 33% hydrogen peroxide. During the early morning of July 28, 2004, the trailer caught fire.
The Dracut Fire Department responded to the scene at about 0100 hours and extinguished the fire. The fire consumed the drums, totes, and the majority of the trailer. The hazardous materials had released and combined with firefighting water, resulting in a discharge of high-pH solution onto the pavement, a landscaped area next to the parking lot, the storm drain system under the parking lot, and an adjacent stormwater retention basin.
The local haz mat team responded to the scene at about 0300 hours to assist with containment of the runoff, and the Dracut Fire Department notified the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at 0428 hours. When DEP responded to the scene later that morning, Old Dominion had already mobilized its contractor (Clean Harbors), and cleanup efforts were underway.
Cleanup activities conducted by Clean Harbors included pumping the high-pH material out of the storm drain system and stormwater retention basin, neutralizing high-pH residuals on the paved surfaces, and excavating contaminated soils from the affected landscaped area. Cleanup activities began on July 27, 2004 and were concluded on August 4, 2004.
Due to a state of heightened security and readiness relating to the ongoing Democratic National Convention, EPA and DEP had limited staff and resources to dedicate to this response. Therefore, EPA and DEP coordinated the oversight of Old Dominion's response activities. DEP mobilized an emergency responder to the scene on July 27. On-Scene Coordinator Mia Pasquerella mobilized to the Site on July 28 to oversee the cleanup activities and discuss proper NRC notification procedures with Old Dominion.
No further cleanup activities are planned. The response is complete.
Old Dominion did not report this incident to either the NRC or the DEP. DEP was notified by the Dracut Fire Department, and EPA learned of the incident when DEP posted it to the Emergency Operations Center web page for the DNC. Old Dominion has been made aware of proper NRC notification procedures. (EPA notified the NRC via web report # 729989).
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