City Council Meeting Date: July 17, 2018
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: David E. Bennett, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Wastewater Treatment Plant Biosolids Fire Update.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council discusses the update on the fire at the Wastewater Treatment Plant Biosolids Building.
Summary Report:
On May 29, 2018, a fire occurred in the Biosolids Process Building which caused extensive damage to equipment within the building which resulted in the treatment process going offline. Within this building, liquid sludge is processed and turned into a high quality fertilizer that is a dirt like material. A contractor then hauls and applies it to farm fields.
During the day of the fire, the City was operating the biosolids process as it typically does. This process typically runs for 10 hours during the days it is in operation and typically runs three days per week. Staff began the shutdown process of the equipment at 3:45 P.M, and then began cleanup procedures.
That evening at 9:26 P.M the City received its first alarm "PhoneLineFail", 9:27 P.M Second Alarm (PhoneLineFail), 9:37 P.M "Biostyrcomm Communication Failure". These alarms continued, as we believe it was the melting of the electronic communications line in the building. This building is not equipped with smoke/fire alarms, nor does it have a fire suppression system. The alarms from the plant were communication failure alarms.
A motorist passing by the plant smelled smoke at HWY 3 and CR 47 and called 911. At 9:39 P.M the fire department was then dispatched to the wastewater plant, and at 9:48 P.M they arrived on scene. Heavy smoke was found in the biosolids building, and the fire department began to extinguish the fire. At roughly 11:40 P.M the fire had been extinguished.
After the fire, the City notified its insurance provider, the League of MN Cities Insurance Trust. The League hired Whitemore Fire Consultants, Inc. to inve...
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