Tuesday August, 1 2023 @ 18:49

Nature: Structure Fire

Location: DSWA Transfer Station (83)

Address:  29997 John P Healy Dr Harbeson, DE 19951

On Tuesday, August 1^st, the Millsboro (83) and Indian River (80) volunteer fire companies were alerted for a commercial structure fire at the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) Transfer Station off Indian Mission Road.  It was reported to the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center via multiple calls that smoke was coming roof of the structure.

Emergency response units from Indian River included Tanker 80 and Rescue 80 from the Oak Orchard facility and Engines #80-1 and #80-3 from the Long Neck facility as well as the Delaware State Fire Police.  Additional emergency alerts included the Sussex County Paramedics.

Emergency response units were required to gain access to the transfer station complex and then to the commercial structure where smoke could be seen from the rear of the structure but not from the front.  Engine #80-3 accessed the hydrant and established a water supply as well as activating two fire suppression attack lines.

It appears that the facility contains residential rubbish pending transfer from trash trucks to tractor trailers for transport to a designated landfill.  There was a segment of the rubbish that had caught fire within the structure.  Firefighter crews worked diligently to separate and saturate the rubbish

The Delaware State Fire Police provided traffic control for the duration of the incident.