Gas-fed fire causes explosion in contracted building at Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant
BALTIMORE - A gas-fed fire caused an explosion inside a city-contracted building at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant Wednesday morning in Dundalk.
Baltimore County Fire spokesperson Elise Armacost said seven people were in the building used by Synagro, where wastewater is converted into an agricultural pellet, at the time of the explosion.
Everyone in the building was able to escape without injuries.
2-alarm commercial building fire w explosion, 8200 block of Eastern Ave., 21224 at the Synagro wastewater treatment plant. Gas-fed fire has caused unstable areas in the building. Evacuation in progress. PIO en route. DT 1126 EA pic.twitter.com/Oy67PUM9YO
— Baltimore County Fire Department (@BaltCoFire) March 15, 2023
"Those fires damaged the integrity of the structure to the point of where our commander evacuated all of our people from the building for safety once they determined no one else was inside the building," Armacost said.
The explosion was caused by a gas-fed 12,000 gallons of thermal oil, a non-hazardous material.
"Thermal oil is a high-temperature oil that Synagro uses in its process and it is not classified as a hazmat," Armacost said.
Armacost said the Maryland Department of the Environment believe that the wastewater was not impacted.
Firefighters are expected to be at the site for most of the day continuing to put out the fire that is contained to the building.
Johnny Olszewski 'monitoring' wastewater treatment plant
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski says he is "closely monitoring the situation" following an explosion at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant.
I am closely monitoring the situation at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant.
— County Executive Johnny Olszewski (@BaltCoExec) March 15, 2023
All employees have been accounted for and no injuries have currently been reported. This remains an active scene and @BaltCoFire continues to combat the building fire.
"As this is a City-managed site within Baltimore County, we remain in close contact with Mayor Scott and our City partners and will provide additional information regarding this incident as it becomes available," Olszewski said.
No injuries reported at water treatment plant
Officials said all employees are accounted for after a building was evacuated because of a fire with explosion at the water treatment plant in Dundalk.
Update, fire at #dundalk wastewater treatment plant: all employees accounted for. No injuries reported . EA
— Baltimore County Fire Department (@BaltCoFire) March 15, 2023
No injuries are reported.