Rochester Fire Department responds to fire at Covanta “waste-to-energy” plant

“At approximately 9:40pm last evening the Rochester Fire Department was called to Covanta waste to energy plant on Rte28 for a reported fire in the shredder processor.

Arriving crews found a heavy smoke condition. Covanta employees reported that a conveyor belt had broken and a fire started to burn trash underneath the belt. Rochester Fire Department crews were able to knock down the initial fire but there was extended overhaul needed to knock down flare-ups given the amount of trash that was on and around the conveyor.

Mutual Aid was summoned from Wareham Fire Department, Marion Fire / EMS, Mattapoisett Fire Rescue, Massachusetts Department of Fire Services/Rehab Unit, Providence Canteen, and the Freetown Fire Department provided station coverage, the Rochester Police Department, MA assisted at the scene.

We want to thank those departments for their assistance and commend our dispatch center Regional Old Colony Communications Center for getting those assets to us on what was a hot and humid evening.” -Rochester Fire Department.

All photos by the Rochester Fire Department: