Incinerator shutdown cause unknown

By Graeme McNaughton/The Oshawa Express

Investigators have determined what caused a fire on the roof of the Durham York Energy Centre earlier this month – however, the reasoning behind this event remains a mystery.

Speaking to region councillors, Susian Siopis, Durham’s works commissioner, says the Dec. 11 fire was a result of steam emissions that came following a shutdown of the facility.

“There was a shutdown in the plant. It was related to operations in the plant, starting with a sequence of events that trigger one another,” she said, adding that the burners were shut down at the time of the fire due to an ongoing Hydro One project in the area that led to the incinerator being taken off the grid.

“At around 10:30, it was observed in the control room that this shutdown was happening. As a result of that, the standard operating procedure requires Covanta staff to walk the entire site, including the roof, to see what’s going on on site.”

According to a news release from Covanta, the site’s operator, it is during this time that steam is vented through pipes to the roof, where it is pumped out of the building. It was the flow of this steam – Siopis says it is as much as 500 degrees – that led to the fire.

With the incinerator now operating again at full capacity – Boiler No. 2 was shut down until the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 14 – but repairs not yet made to the roof, Siopis says there is no concern that another fire would spark up.

“Everything we know about the fire on the roof was a result of the steam emission – strictly steam,” she said. “That’s the only time its emits steam, during the shutdown period. While the boilers are up and running, we’re not emitting steam.”

The cause of the fire was determined by JADE+, a consultant for Covanta.

However, what remains a mystery is what led to the plant being shut down in the first place.

“That is a question we are still asking because it came automatically through the plant’s process,” Siopis said. “It wasn’t something that was done manually, it was something that happened through the plant process.”

In Covanta’s news release, Derek Veenhof, the company’s executive vice-president, notes that such an event has never happened at one of its facilities before.

An issue of timing

Another concern raised about the Dec. 11 fire at the incinerator is the length of time between the fire first being spotted and when councillors and the public were notified.

Councillor Nancy Diamond said that the first news release did not come out until shortly after 4 p.m., or about four-and-a-half hours after the fire was first spotted.

“The problem was noted at 10:30 a.m., the fire was not extinguished until 4:30 p.m., and we only heard about it at 4:09 p.m.,” she said, noting the times posted in the region’s initial news release on the fire.

Regional Chair Roger Anderson, however, noted that by the time he arrived at the site at approximately 1 p.m., the fire was not visable.

Pickering councillor Bill McLean said that the region responded in more than enough time, given the circumstances.

“It bogs my mind…that all this happened at 9:30, 10:30. Obviously, staff would have to get some factual information, gather that factual information, send it to whomever sends out a press release on a Sunday, to notify the council and the public,” he said, addressing Siopis and works staff.

“I think you did a fantastic job…on informing the public as soon as you can.”