Fire Extinguished at Hillcrest
Industries
Work
Will Continue to Ensure Piles Do Not Reignite
Contact: Elias
Rodriguez (212) 637-3664; rodriguez.elias@epa.gov
(Buffalo,
N.Y. – October 15, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced
today that the fire at the Hillcrest Industries facility in Attica, New York is
now fully extinguished. The EPA is arranging the plastic and glass piles on site
to a more manageable size to avoid reignition. A fire management and temperature
monitoring plan will be in place until the material is processed and removed
from the site.
“This is
truly good news for a community that endured months of odors and smoke,” said
Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “The EPA will remain on site to make
sure new fires don’t start and we will keep the community
informed.”
"Extinguishing the fire ahead of schedule is a welcome development for
the community," NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe
Martens said. "DEC continues to work with EPA to address the site and
appreciates EPA's assistance in extinguishing the fire."
The EPA
began its work to put the fire out on September 29, 2012. Since that time,
nearly 49,000 cubic yards of material was moved and, where necessary, cooled.
The fire was officially extinguished on Sunday, October 14, 2012. The EPA
remains on site to support the fire management and temperature monitoring plan.
There is still some visible steam coming from parts of the pile, as the material
is warmer than the outside air.
Recent results of air
monitoring show no detectable levels of volatile organic compounds. Levels of
particles have also been very low throughout most of the work. Data from
previous lab analyzed results are posted on the EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/removal/hillcrest/index.html and will
be updated as the agency gets more final results.
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