SAUGUS — Wheelabrator Saugus is facing a fine from the town’s Public Health department after a pillar of smoke was caught escaping from the plant for several hours Sunday.
After meeting with Wheelabrator’s head Environmental Compliance Manager and its Manager of Assets for more information, Public Health Director John Fralick said he was informed the incident occurred when a damaged dichotomizer line entering a boiler ruptured, allowing water to leak into a transformer located below.
“The entire plant went black, apparently,” he said. “If you picture wet leaves on a campfire, that’s essentially what went on.”
Fire departments from both Saugus and Melrose responded to the scene, and Fralick, who told the board he noted a “heavy odor” when visiting the plant himself that afternoon, said he “certainly” considered the incident to be a public health nuisance.
Because of the odor and smoke’s impact on the nearby community, Fralick said Wheelabrator will be fined the maximum amount of $1,000 for its violation.
In a statement provided to The Item, Wheelabrator Director of Communications Michelle Nadeau said no employees were hurt in the incident, and added that the smog residents saw was not caused by a fire of any kind, but by an electrical short that resulted in a facility-wide power outage.
“We appreciate the opportunity to provide an explanation to the Board of Health and the community on the Sunday incident, in which an electrical short caused the facility to lose all power,” she said. “Due to this loss of power, boiler exhaust fans stopped working, causing Steam and smoke to flow outside the facility. There was no fire, other than the one used in the boilers as part of the waste-to-energy process.
“Nonetheless, we understand that the appearance of smoke outside the facility caused concern on the part of our neighbors.”
The incinerator was back in full operation Tuesday.
“We thank the Saugus Fire Department for their assistance and apologize for any inconvenience anyone experienced as a result of this unforeseen incident,” Nadeau said.
During a Board of Health meeting Monday, which was attended by Wheelabrator Vice President of Waste to Energy, Peter DiCecco, Board of Health Chair William Heffernan brought up numerous past issues that have occurred between Saugus residents and the plant, and requested representatives from Wheelabrator be present at future meetings.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but the buck stops with you,” Heffernan told DiCecco. “It just can’t go on like this.”
He also asked that any future incidents regarding Wheelabrator be thoroughly investigated and analyzed for corrective actions.
DiCecco, who said he took full responsibility for the incident, agreed, noting that the plant had recently hired an asset manager for the facility to oversee its current leadership team.
“We are doing everything we can to make this plant the best it possibly can be,” DiCecco said.
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at [email protected].