By Jodi Wolfe
Staff Writer

A fire at the Suncook Waste Water Treatment Plant lead to a two-hour evacuation of the nearby area.

On Monday, March 21, contractors were using a torch to dismantle old machinery at the water treatment plant when sparks from the torch fell on about 14 five-gallon buckets of an odor control agent, igniting the buckets and leaking hazardous materials.

The workers noticed that there was more smoke than usual, and when they saw the buckets were on fire, they tried to extinguish them, said Allenstown Fire Department Deputy Chief Robert Martin. When that didn't work, they called the fire department.

The Allenstown Fire Department and the Central New Hampshire hazardous materials team responded to the Canal Street plant around 2:30 in the afternoon.

The fire departments of Hooksett, Concord, Bow, Epsom, Chichester, Loudon, Pembroke also responded to the scene, along with Tri-Town Ambulance.

"Initially, there was quite a bit (of smoke), but that didn't last very long, maybe a half hour," said Dana Clement, superintendent of the plant.

After that it was slow burning, he said.

Allenstown police assisted in evacuating about 100 homes within 300 feet upwind of the plant, according to health standards, said Martin. The area includes homes on Canal Street, Ferry Street and Webster Street.

The evacuation went smoothly, said Allenstown Police Chief Jim McGonigle.

Safety personnel also held the Thomas Hodges Mill from undergoing a shift change for about 90 minutes during the evacuation, said Martin.

After two hours, the residents were allowed to return to their homes.

The fire was under control around 7 p'm. and the last company left at 9:30 p'm., said Martin.

No one was injured and the treatment plant was able to continue its operation.

The odor control agent, potassium permanganate, is powder is used in the treatment to control the odor of feces at the plant, said Martin. It's not hazardous in a solid state, but it is hazardous as smoke as it could irritate a person's skin or respiratory system if inhaled.

All the buckets were completely destroyed. Each bucket of potassium permanganate costs $96.56, said Clement. The plant was not affected by the loss because they had just ordered more of the powder, he said.

Later in the evening, a professional cleaning company came to the plant to clean up melted debris in the basement, said Martin. The plant workers are continuing to clean up from the fire.

This was the first time an incident like this occurred, said Clement.