Firefighter, worker hospitalized after fire at Boston MRF

A firefighter and worker were hospitalized after a fire at a recycling facility in Boston on May 30.

As reported by Boston 25 News, firefighters responded to the blaze at a commercial facility near the Casella Waste Systems material recovery facility around 11 p.m. Upon arrival, they found heavy black smoke billowing out of the facility and immediately ordered a second alarm, according to the Boston Fire Department.

At approximately 11:00 heavy black smoke from the recycling plant at 24 Bunker Hill Industrial Park. A 2nd alarm was ordered. pic.twitter.com/jkp3JIypPa

— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) May 31, 2023

Due to the intensity of the fire, crews were ordered off the roof and were forced to cut holes through the walls of the facility to access the flames, the fire department said on Twitter.

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Most of the fire was knocked out shortly before midnight, but crews remained on the scene into the early morning, removing debris and monitoring hot spots.

The firefighter and worker transported from the scene are said to have suffered minor injuries. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Jeff Weld, director of communications for Casella, tells Recycling Today Media Group the facility is expected to be operational by June 5. 

The company provided the following statement:

"We would like to thank the Boston Fire Department for their efforts in ensuring there were no major injuries, and the damage to the facility was minimal. While there is no official determination for the cause of the fire, it does shine a light on the dangers that waste and recycling workers face each day, many of which are avoidable. 

One of the most common causes of fires like this is the improper disposal of lithium batteries in household trash and recycling. The dangers posed by the improper disposal of these batteries is increasing as their usage is prevalent in everything from laptops and cellphones to light-up shoes and birthday cards. The waste and recycling industry experienced nearly 400 reported facility fires confirmed to be caused by lithium batteries in 2022, [according to West Bloomfield, Michigan-based Fire Rover]. The potential for these fires puts our drivers, our facility operators, the public and our planet at risk. Consumers are reminded that batteries and items containing batteries do not belong in their household waste or recycling receptacles and instead should be recycled at a drop-off location or another certified service. For more information, including certified drop-off locations near you, please visit www.call2recycle.org."