Fire is devastating for any business, but industrial facilities, especially those that work with hazardous and volatile chemicals, can escalate beyond expectations. Today, we look at the 2022 Dudley Chemical fire, our role as the primary contractor for disaster management in the aftermath, and the extensive work it took to limit the spread of chemical contamination, clean up in a hazardous environment, and restore the site to operation. Learn more below, including a link to our case study that dives deeper into NEDT’s cleaning up of the Dudley Fire.

What Was the Dudley Chemical Fire?

On August 19th, 2022, a chemical fire and multiple explosions occurred at a chemical manufacturing facility in Dudley, MA, destroying a warehouse and causing extensive damage and contamination to the surrounding area. While emergency personnel were able to contain the fire, there was extensive damage to both the main building of the facility and the surrounding site grounds, spreading hazardous chemicals and airborne contaminants from the explosion and wastewater, as well as extensive damage to facility machinery.

• MassLive New Article: Dudley fire that destroyed Mace Polymers could have resulted in injuries, deaths if not for first responders, fire chief says

NEDT’s Role in the Disaster Recovery

NEDT is a full-service hazardous waste company, including hazardous waste disposal, site decontamination, emergency spill response, industrial cleaning, and disaster management and recovery. NEDT was already a trusted emergency response partner for the facility and was called to the scene within hours. Over the course of the project, we:

• Emergency Response: Secured site access, stabilized structures, and prevented contamination spread with an emergency action plan.
• Hazardous Wastewater Containment: Over 147,000 gallons of wastewater from firefighting containing hazardous chemicals were contained and disposed of.
• Warehouse Cleanup: Due to the fire and multiple internal explosions, the main building warehouse required additional care due to instability, complicated by the presence of asbestos, which required additional safety and protection.
• Chemical Identification and Cleanup: Sampled, analyzed, and characterized 100’s of 55-gallon drums whose labeling was damaged in the fire to identify and dispose of them properly.
• Site Remediation: PFAS—Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances— and chromium chemicals were present in both wastewater and surrounding soil, requiring containment and disposal.
• Regulatory Compliance & Coordination: Successfully collaborated with local, state, and federal agencies to meet all compliance requirements.
• Client Business Recovery: Rapid containment and safety measures meant the client was able to continue business operations from adjacent buildings while the cleanup continued.

Our Case Study on the Dudley Chemical Fire

We recently released a case study on the entire process, including a deep dive into the response and remediation efforts, timelines, and a cut sheet with all the technical data. We highly recommend downloading the Dudley Chemical Fire Case Study to learn more, as well as browsing our complete Disaster Management & Recovery page. The Dudley fire presented a stark reminder about the realities of fires for chemical manufacturers and the need for partnerships with companies like NEDT. We are proud of our staff, contractors, emergency personnel, and regulatory agents who made this project possible.

Through rapid response, expert coordination, and stringent safety measures, NEDT successfully managed the crisis, protected public health, and restored the site. For over 30 years, NEDT has brought our considerable skills and technology to the problems of hazardous waste, industrial cleaning & maintenance, remediation, spill response, and disaster management & recovery. If you need help in any of these fields, contact us today to get started or give us a call at 1-800-698-1865.