Firm to get $11k bill for chemical alert
Reading fire officials will send a bill of about $11,000 to an asbestos removal company whose workers allegedly moved chemicals from a laboratory at Reading Memorial High School, triggering a full-blown hazardous materials alert last week.
The reaction is an example of how increased sensitivity to the potential dangers of chemical contamination can now lead to sophisticated response and costly results for what in the past may have been handled as a simple mistake.
''During my [19-year] career, the way chemicals are handled has changed," said Fire Chief Gregory Burns. ''They weren't regulated as tightly as they are today. It's been an educational thing. Short exposure to certain chemicals can kill or injure someone, and today, there are so many chemicals out there. You can walk into anything at any time."
High school principal Joseph Finigan said he discovered the lab's chemicals in improperly packed boxes in a stairwell of an emergency exit July 20. He said he picked up a light scent of ammonia and called the Fire Department.
According to Finigan and Burns, workers from A.R.C Environmental Specialists of Peabody said they moved the chemicals as they prepared to remove adhesive beneath tiles in the chemistry lab as part of a renovation and demolition project at the high school.
Officials from A.R.C. could not be reached for comment.
But Ed Dann, director of business development at TLT Construction, the general contractor on the $54 million high school job, called the episode an unfortunate incident. He said A.R.C. and TLT will accept full responsibility for the incident ''where it is warranted."
Within an hour of the call last week, the high school parking lot was transformed into a staging ground for entering the building and investigating the chemicals. The scene included two fire engines, a ladder engine, 13 Reading firefighters, 30 members of the District 2 hazardous materials response team, the mobile hazardous materials control center, an ambulance, an air-conditioned ''cool down" bus, Salvation Army support, and lots of water.
''It was a 90-degree day and they put on plastic suits that don't breathe, it's unbelievably hot," said Burns. ''There's nowhere for sweat to go, and heat is a big issue."
Finigan said that A.R.C. was explicitly instructed not to touch the chemicals and another company, Cyn Environmental Services, was scheduled to dispose of the materials July 20. A.R.C was hired to remove asbestos, a known carcinogen, from the tile adhesive in the high school's math and science wing.
No one was harmed by the improperly packed chemicals, but the call from the high school led to a costly hazardous materials response. Burns said the $11,000 figure does not include expenses incurred by the school system and state hazardous materials workers. Those expenses could push the bill over $20,000. He said the money can be recovered from A.R.C. under state law.
''Thanks to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 21E, the town doesn't end up eating it," said Burns. ''It was a big hardship for the town to deal with something like this."
Burns said that while he was overseeing operations and ensuring firefighters and others had enough water at the high school, he had to call in reserve firefighters and paramedics to staff the fire station and handle routine business.
The chief said the hazardous materials team investigated the chemicals before concluding that there was no serious risk and transferring the cleanup operation to Cyn Environmental. The operation wasn't completed until 10 p.m.
Jennifer Mieth, spokesperson for the state's Department of Fire Services, said other schools should consider how they handle chemistry lab chemicals.
''Other schools should take a moment to consider what's hiding in their own chemical closets," said Mieth. ''Sometimes schools buy as much they can, but that's not a good idea, because disposal is costly. You need to consider the life cycle and cradle-to-grave care for chemicals. How much of that do you really want hiding in the school where you send kids every day?" 