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Waste Fire in Willimantic, Conn., Expected to Burn for Days
The fire has been declared under control, but it could take days to be fully extinguished.
1 Min Read
Fire from a waste plant in Willimantic, Conn., has forced schools and roads to close due to dense smoke, and the fire department expects the fire to take days before completely extinguishing.
The fire started around 10:13 a.m. on January 28 at Willimantic Waste Paper Co., a local collection service with roughly 350 employees. Twelve different fire departments are assisting with the fire, and authorities don’t believe anyone was in the building when the fire started.
No toxic chemicals have been determined to be released into the air, and the smoke from the fire has been deemed not toxic as well.
The Hartford Courant has more information:
As of early Monday morning, the smoke was not considered to be toxic, although workers from the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection are monitoring the air “to make sure the smoke that is leaving the scene is safe,” Scrivener said.
Up to 200 firefighters spent hours Sunday battling the blaze, which officials said went to four alarms. One firefighter had to be treated for exhaustion, and town schools, as well as Eastern Connecticut State University, have closed for the day.
Part of Route 32 remains closed, according to the state police, as is the bridge on Boston Post Road at the Willimantic/North Windham line, said Willimantic 911. In addition, the state judicial branch announced that the juvenile court near the fire scene on Columbia Avenue is closed.
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