For Immediate Release

Monday, Oct. 7, 2019

Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Groveland Public Safety Officials, Mass DEP Order Removal of Hazardous Materials

GROVELAND — Police Chief Jeffrey Gillen and Interim Fire Chief Joe Santapaola report that the property owner of 748 Salem St. has been ordered to properly dispose of chemicals that sparked a hazmat response last night.

Police and firefighters responded to Salem and Washington Streets at approximately 6:45 p.m. Sunday for a report of a gas leak, and first responders came upon the hazardous materials upon arrival, spurring public safety officials to launch a hazardous materials incident investigation. A Hazardous Materials Response Team from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services also responded to the scene.

Members of the Groveland Fire Department and National Grid investigated the reported gas leak at the same time as the unrelated hazardous materials response, and no gas leak was found.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Groveland Fire Department have ordered surfactants, chemicals that create suds such as detergents, on the property to be removed and disposed of at a chemical facility within 24 hours of the hazmat response. Members of the Groveland Fire Department will be visiting the property Monday afternoon to ensure those materials have been properly disposed of. The property owner has also been ordered to return containers of tetrahydrofuran, a flammable material, that although stored in a proper vessel, is not permitted to be stored in a residential setting, by the end of the week.

“With assistance from the Massachusetts DEP and a Hazardous Materials Response Team from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, we were able to resolve this situation swiftly,” Interim Fire Chief Santapaoloa said. “Teamwork and collaboration between state agencies and the Groveland Police and Fire Departments allowed for this investigation to proceed smoothly, and I’d like to thank everyone who helped investigate and respond.”

The Groveland Police and Fire Departments have determined that there was no threat or danger to the public as a result of the hazardous materials.

“We’d like to thank residents for their patience and cooperation as we responded to and investigated this situation,” Police Chief Gillen said. “Incidents involving hazardous materials are incredibly complex, and fortunately there was no danger to the public as a result of this situation.”

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