DEP Fines Company for Vapor Cloud Incident

A Grafton company has been cited by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in connection with an incident that forced officials to evacuate the neighborhood, including .

The Suttles Truck Leasing Company, which operates a trucking terminal and maintenance facility for motor freight transport at 88 Westboro Road, was assessed a $26,000 penalty by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for violating state hazardous waste management, industrial wastewater and underground storage tank regulations. 

The fine is in response to a vapor cloud that was released April 8, 2011 at the location.

An inspection was conducted by MassDEP personnel at the facility in April 2011, spurred by a nitric acid release, according to information provided by the MassDEP.

The inspection revealed that the company was in violation of numerous hazardous waste requirements, including failure to notify MassDEP of hazardous waste activity and of waste oil recycling, failure to comply with container management requirements and storing waste oil longer than allowed.

Other violations included operating a wastewater pre-treatment system without a licensed wastewater treatment operator, failure to keep inventory records for underground storage tanks on the property, and failure to comply with other underground storage tank requirements.

The company was required to pay $6,500 of the penalty, with the remaining penalty suspended as long as the company returns to compliance. The company is also required to fund three Supplemental Environmental Projects, totaling $19,500.

The company will purchase and give a thermal imaging unit to the , and will also give $10,000 to help fund the Town of Grafton’s . The company will provide Emergency Responder Hazardous Materials Cargo Tank training to up to 100 members of the Grafton, Upton, Oxford and New Bedford fire departments. 

The incident was blamed on employee error, company officials said the day of the incident.

The vapor cloud, which appeared to have a reddish tint, resulted when an employee mistakenly mixed four gallons of nitric acid with 20 gallons of wastewater in a 200-gallon container, Fire Chief Michael Gauthier said.

Nitric acid reacts violently when mixed with water, the chief said.

No residents were in any danger, Gauthier said at the time, but to be exceedingly cautious, officials ordered the area within a tenth-mile of the site to be evacuated.

Although North Grafton Elementary School falls outside this radius, officials decided to use "an abundance of caution'' and ordered students at the school to be bussed to Grafton Elementary School.