Debris removal underway at the Barwick Mill fire site
The task of removing debris from the old Barwick Mill fire site in LaFayette has begun.
The removal project, which officially began Wednesday, Dec. 28, will include demolition and disposal of the fire-damaged structure, as well as the removal of debris piles left from the fire and any asbestoscontaining materials, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Protective measures will be used to control dust emissions, storm water runoff and erosion.
The EPA said that once the project is finished, the property will be restored and landscaped. The EPA estimates the project will take three to five months.
About 50,000 gallons of water left behind when firefighters battled the Nov. 14, 2015, blaze, has already been removed. More than 150,000 gallons of water was used to put out the fire.
The fire led to electrical explosions and set the historic carpet mill, which closed in the early 1990s, ablaze in an area where latex was stored.
The fire destroyed the southern portion of the 250,000-squarefoot mill, which was occupied by Ashgan Products, a Chattanoogabased product development company specializing in reusing biodegradable products.
The fire sent out huge plumes of black smoke with unknown contaminants and pollutants, and resulted in the nearby Chattooga River turning blue, apparently from runoff of water used to put out the blaze.
Due to concerns about asbestos entering the atmosphere, city officials advised nearby residents to stay indoors during firefighters’ multi-day response to the scene.
David Andrews, EPA onsite coordinator, said any and all particulate matter will be monitored at the site as the cleanup takes place.
A water wall will be used to keep any possible airborne asbestos at bay when material is removed from the site. The water curtain works like a snow machine, spraying a fine mist that would prevent asbestos from escaping into the atmosphere.
Asbestos was discovered throughout the site, including the ceiling tiles and wrapping around the plumbing, Andrews said. He estimated the cleanup will cost the mill’s owner, Dalton businessman Drennon Crutchfield, about $850,000.
Andrews said there have never been any reports made to the either EPA or Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of an asbestos abatement or removal being conducted on the mill.
The EPA plans to keep the public informed of the cleanup effort through fact sheets and plans to hold public meetings if needed. Documents are available at the LaFayette-Walker County Public Library on Duke Street. Additional information can be found by visiting www.epaosc.org/OBMRemoval.