U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Pea Ridge Road Fire

All POL/SITREP's for this site Pea Ridge Road Fire
Canton, GA - EPA Region IV
POLREP #1
Emergency Response - Initial
Printer Friendly  |   PDF
 
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Pea Ridge Road Fire - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region IV

Subject: POLREP #1
Emergency Response - Initial
Pea Ridge Road Fire
B4G5
Canton, GA
Latitude: 34.2703490 Longitude: -84.4942690


To:
From: Randy Nattis, OSC
Date: 3/15/2011
Reporting Period: 03/14/2011 1600hrs - 03/15/2011 - 0100hrs

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: B4G5    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: 3/14/2011    Start Date: 3/14/2011
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:


1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency Response

1.1.2 Site Description

An illegal dumping area containing tires, construction and demolition, carpets and many other unknowns about 2 acres in size and piled up to over 30 feet in places.  The site is located in a residential neighborhood.  The property is bounded by houses on either side (east and est side) and backs up to a forested area.  The property sloped from South to North.  Pea Ridge road is to the south and the forested area is to the north.  The downward slope through the forested area to the north until it comes to Hickey Log Reservoir 

1.1.2.1 Location

230 Pea Ridge Road, Canton, GA

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Fire due to unknown causes.  The illegal dumping area contains 100's of tires, construction and demolition debris, wood, carpet, couches, and potentially unknown hazmat or other oil containers 

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

Potential Runoff issues heading into Hickey Log Reservoir.  Potential Air Quality issues as the fire burns out of control.


2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

At 1430, EPA OSC Subash Patel notified Tetra Tech START of a tire fire at 230 Pearidge Road, Canton, Cherokee County, Georgia.  OSC Randy Nattis tasked Tetra Tech START to mobilize to the site and supplied a copy of National Response Center Incident Report # 970033 describing details of the incident.

At approximately 1615, EPA Nattis and Tetra Tech START arrived on-site.  EPA and START were briefed by Chief Darrel Mitchell, Cherokee County Fire Emergency Services (FES) on details of the site and were implemented into the current ICS structure.  The property was an old landfill and had been recently purchased by Mr. Arthur Kellogg.  At the time of arrival, tires were on fire along the north perimeter of the landfill.  Cherokee County FES personnel were spraying water on the burning tires and debris.  Local residents were located to the south of the property.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

EPA, Tetra Tech START, and Chief Mitchell conducted a visual inspection of the site perimeter.  OSC Nattis and Tetra Tech START noted the runoff from fire suppression operations was flowing downhill north of the property into the Hickory Log Reservoir.  There was no visible sheen in the runoff from the landfill.  Smoke from the fire was migrating to the northwest into a wooded area.  Cherokee County FES conducted a chemical classifier field test of the runoff and preliminary results were negative for field test including of pH, hydrocarbons, oxidizers, and chlorinated compounds.

At 1715, EPA and Tetra Tech START began perimeter air monitoring using Multi-RAE and Area-RAE instrumentation.  Preliminary monitoring indicated no results above action levels.  Perimeter air monitoring was continued during fire suppression operations.

At 1830, Chief Mitchell informed OSC Nattis that an underflow dam had been installed in the runoff ditch northwest of the landfill.  Underflow dam was installed by Chief Ranger Bobby Smith of the Georgia Forestry Service.  Tetra Tech START recorded GPS coordinates of and provided photographic documentation of the underflow dam.  Visual inspection of the runoff indicated there was no sheen in the water on either side of the dam.

At 1715, Environmental Restoration, Inc. (ER) arrived on-site and was briefed by OSC Nattis.  OSC Nattis and ER Coordinator Jake Jones conducted a walk-through inspection of the site perimeter.  At 20:55, Chief Mitchell conducted a pre-operations safety briefing for all personnel.  ER used an excavator to pull back sections of the landfill to determine the extent and depth of the fire.  During this time, OSC Nattis and Tetra Tech START conducted perimeter air monitoring with the Multi-RAE air monitoring units.  Chief Ranger Smith and Tetra Tech START visually inspected the runoff from the landfill during ER activities.  There was no visible sheen in the runoff during landfill operations; however, the water appeared more muddy than during previous observations.

At 2300, OSC Nattis and Chief Mitchell decided to cease operations for the night based on current site conditions and incoming rain.  The fire at this time appeared to have been extinguished and all tires and superficial debris had been placed in a pile.  All personnel were to meet back at the site at 10:00 on March 15, 2011.


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

At 1000 on 3/15/2011 all response personnel are to be back on site to ensure fire remained extinguished and to further investigate the site for potential burial of drums or containers that make contain HAZMAT or other potential threats to human health and the environment 

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Test Trenching and spent fuel consolidation.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

Possible coordination with GA EPD solid waste division.

2.2.2 Issues

Unknowns


  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
  No information available at this time.

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.