NEWBURYPORT — Mayor Sean R. Reardon and Fire Chief Stephen H. Bradbury III report that officials from the Newburyport Fire Department and the City of Newburyport expect to finish clean up and emergency operations at the Seqens facility on Opportunity Way on Monday.
Officials from the Newburyport Building Department were on scene throughout the weekend and on Monday morning. If no further dangers or problems are discovered, it is anticipated that building officials and investigators will clear the scene. City officials have been awaiting the arrival of insurance adjustors from Europe. It is expected that demolition operations will begin Tuesday afternoon.
The City has given Seqens a deadline of 8 a.m. on Wednesday to commence demolition of the building addition where the explosion occurred.
On Monday, hazardous materials technicians and crews remained on scene, removing the final eight 55-gallon drums of chemicals, and draining approximately 2,000 gallons of chemicals from chemical reactors at the plant. Additionally, a contractor has been brought in to shore up the steel supports to replace a crane that has been holding up the building since Friday.
Chief Bradbury has stationed an additional Fire Engine Company at the site, and the removal process is being classified as a Tier 1 Hazmat Incident.
At about 12:45 a.m. on Thursday, May 3, 911 operators received a report of an explosion at 9 Opportunity Way. Fire crews battled heavy fire conditions for approximately one hour. Five workers were in the building at the time, and four evacuated safely. The body of the missing worker, identified as 62-year-old Jack O’Keefe, was found on Thursday afternoon. The other four workers were treated at a local hospital and released.
While the explosion appears related to a chemical manufacturing process and does not appear suspicious, the exact cause remains under investigation by the Newburyport Fire Department, State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and State Police assigned to the Essex County District Attorney’s office.
