At approximately 10:00 pm on the evening of February 16, 2023, the Braintree Fire Department was dispatched to 1 Hill Ave (Clean Harbors) for reports of smoke and possible fire in the loading dock area. Several Braintree units responded to the scene, including the Hazmat Officer and staff from the Building and Health Departments. Additionally, representatives from Clean Harbors, the Department of Fire Services (DFS) State HazMat Team, Massachusetts State Police Fire Investigators, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP), the Coast Guard and Brewster Ambulance. Mutual aid companies from Quincy, Weymouth, Randolph and Holbrook were also on scene to provide assistance during the incident.
When units arrived on scene they observed an active fire and initiated efforts to keep the fire under control, including establishing water supplies and setting up several master stream operations surrounding the property. While suppression operations continued successfully, members of the DFS State HazMat Team and MA DEP continued to monitor the site and surrounding area.
The fire was controlled at approximately 1:00 am on Friday, February 17, 2023, and members of the Braintree Fire Department remained on site to ensure no further risk to the property and surrounding area.
There were no injuries reported as a result of the fire. In an abundance of caution, residents were asked to stay in their homes during the incident to allow the Fire Department to respond. Once the fire was under control, these precautions were no longer required. Clean Harbors, along with the DFS State HazMat Team and Coast Guard, conducted air monitoring at the facility and in the surrounding neighborhoods during the incident and again this morning and have confirmed that the air quality was, and remains, within normal parameters.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
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