"Fish kill prompts testing of ponds"

By Christopher Ruvo, Intelligencer, July 1, 2010:

. . . As firefighters continued battling flames the day after a major blaze destroyed an industrial building in Plumstead, environmental officials tested for chemicals in two ponds at the facility where fish were killed.


The death of an undetermined number of carp caused concern because the ponds feed tributaries that connect to larger streams, including the Tohickon Creek, that ultimately link to the Delaware River, environmental officials said.

Trace amounts of chemicals were found, but they were so diluted that they did not pose a threat to waterways or wells, said Peter Noll an environmental specialist with the Bucks County Health Department.

"Nothing got into the waterways," said Raymond Hackman, coordinator of the Bucks County Hazardous Incident Response Team.

The fish were likely killed by runoff water from the firefighting effort, said Noll. The water was low on oxygen and very hot, he said.

Officials said other wildlife were living near the ponds, which would be unlikely if chemicals had contaminated the area. Firefighters had drawn water from the ponds to fight the fire because there were no hydrants at the site. . . .

Since there are no hydrants at the facility, firefighters drew down the two on-site ponds and trucked water in from other sources. More than 30 tankers from fire companies, including at least one from as far away as East Windsor, N.J., took part, officials said.

DuBree said a hydrant that is part of a municipal water system was about a mile, but firefighters did not tap it.

"The water supply for the township is not strong enough to support fighting a fire of this magnitude," he said. "We didn't want to take a chance of depleting the water system."

The Limerick nuclear power plant in Montgomery County activated a water line that connects from the plant to the Delaware River.

The line, which brings extra water to the plant in times of need, is not always active but was operating Tuesday, said DuBree.

Firefighters asked the plant to increase pressure in the lines to feed dry hydrants in the area. The pressure was increased and firefighters tapped the hydrants, he said. . . .