Community Corner
Chafee Tours Landfill Blast Site
Gov. Lincoln Chafee visited the site of an early-morning explosion at the Central Landfill in Johnston.
Mayor Joseph Polisena led Gov. Lincoln Chafee on a tour of the early-morning blast site at a facility run by Broadrock Renewables next to the Central Landfill.
Chafee said he feels the issue with Broadrock goes back to the contract signed with the company under the late former Mayor William Macera.
"We have a contract that we inherited that's a tough one, favorable to Broadrock," the governor said at a press conference in front of the blast site at 117 Shun Pike.
Gary Maddocks Jr., the chief of security for Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, said in an earlier interview that no one from Broadrock told his overnight detail about the 4 a.m. blast.
"We have 24-hour security for Resource Recovery, and apparently Broadrock never notified our security office of this fire here, and this potential health and safety hazard that existed at the time, so we're going to be investigating that and contacting the proper officials at Broadrock," said Maddocks.
Town officials suspect a build-up of static electricity in the gas-extraction pipes and poor repair work led to the explosion, which shredded an 8-in. pipe and charred a nearby wooden fence.
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