News in from USA: a second fire at an 'energy recovery facility' (i.e. waste to energy incinerator). Note that the county officials 'still have full confidence in the operators'. That would be because there is no health risk, of course. For those of you still seeking 'a balanced view', perhaps you need to read this report very carefully, especially those of you with responsibility for the health of the people of Shropshire.
Inferno at the incinerator - Second fire at facility this year
http://www.newsherald.com/news/bayou_4414___article.html/george_incinerator.html
BAYOU GEORGE — A large fire erupted on the tipping floor of the Bay County waste-to-energy incinerator on Thursday, the second blaze to break out there since late March.
BAYOU GEORGE — A large fire erupted on the tipping floor of the Bay County waste-to-energy incinerator on Thursday, the second blaze to break out there since late March.
County spokeswoman Valerie Lovett said a dump truck emptied trash that contained a small fire, and it quickly worsened once on the tipping floor, where garbage is deposited before it is sent up a conveyor belt to be burnt.
Twenty-three firefighters were called to the scene, the first at 10:40 a.m., and fire crews still were hosing down the flames into the evening Thursday. Lovett said she expected them to be at the site through Friday to ensure nothing reignites.
A damage estimate could not be immediately determined. The blaze, which produced a thick plume of black smoke because of tires in the garbage, scorched the inside of the tipping room, melting away some of its plastic walls. The facility's conveyer belt also caught fire, but that was extinguished with the aid of a sprinkler system in that area.
The administrative building, which is partially connected to the tipping floor, was not damaged. No employees or firefighters were injured, Lovett said. "Because of the design of the building, the fire is not expected to spread anywhere else," she said.
Mark Bowen, the county's chief of emergency services, said the strategy employed Thursday was no different from the handling other large fires.
David Creamer, owner of nearby Creamer Cabinets Inc. on Bay Line Drive off U.S. 231, suspected the county, which owns the incinerator, was putting too much garbage inside.
But Lovett said less garbage than normal was in the tipping area because of upcoming maintenance at the facility. The dearth of garbage could have been menace, Lovett said, because more air can aid the flames of a small fire.
Still confident
Despite the two recent fires, Lovett said the county had not lost confidence in the operator's ability. At the end of last year, Joe Tannehill Jr. and his father Joe Tannehill Sr., of Engen LLC, took over management of the business. The Tannehills were out of the country and not available for comment Thursday, but Lovett said county officials will be talking with them about ways to reduce risk.
Despite the two recent fires, Lovett said the county had not lost confidence in the operator's ability. At the end of last year, Joe Tannehill Jr. and his father Joe Tannehill Sr., of Engen LLC, took over management of the business. The Tannehills were out of the country and not available for comment Thursday, but Lovett said county officials will be talking with them about ways to reduce risk.
The threat of fire sparking in an incinerator cannot be eliminated, Lovett added. "It's an issue that comes with operation of an incinerator." The first fire, on March 25, also occurred in the incinerator's tipping room but was smaller. It caused minimal internal damage, amounting to less than $6,000, Lovett said. Incinerator officials said in March that the fire was likely started by spontaneous combustion.
Dump truck fires are not uncommon and can occur simply by friction of charcoal or other combustible material as the garbage shifts around during travel. Lovett said the county is not planning to hold the dump truck driver or the driver's employer accountable for the damage.
Thursday's fire drew onlookers from several businesses, who avoided smoke because easterly winds were steering it away.
Thursday's fire drew onlookers from several businesses, who avoided smoke because easterly winds were steering it away.
"It will be smoking for a few days probably. I'll dread coming to work tomorrow if that wind shifts and we have to brief that in," Creamer said. By late afternoon Thursday, Lovett said the smoke had almost entirely dissipated. "There is no health risk."
The tipping room still is usable, but operations at the incinerator will be shut down until the fire is out,
The tipping room still is usable, but operations at the incinerator will be shut down until the fire is out,
