Date: November 18, 2020
Location: Hamilton, Ontario (CA)
Address: 700 Woodward Avenue, L8H 6P4
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Dried Sludge
Industry: Wastewater Treatment
Equipment: Hopper
Company: Woodward Wastewater Treatment Plant
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: $75,000 CAD
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to its profile on the City of Hamilton website, Woodward Wastewater Treatment Plant is a secondary conventional activated sludge plant with sludge dewatering and digestion. The digestion process uses a heated biological process to reduce the volume of organic matter and destroy pathogens. The treated biosolids, after being conditioned, are approved for use on agricultural land.
Incident Description:
On November 18, 2020, the Hamilton Spectator reported an explosion at a wastewater treatment plant in Hamilton, Ontario.
The incident occurred at around 6:10 p.m. in a biosolids management system at the plant. An official stated the dried sewage sludge in a hopper may have built up friction and exploded.
Firefighters extinguished the flames. No injuries were reported but damage was estimated at $75,000 CAD.
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority was called to investigate.
Sources:
Hamilton Spectator
