Everything we know so far about the Orrington landfill fire

A fire that broke out at the Orrington garbage plant on Tuesday evening, blanketing surrounding towns in a cloud of smoke, is expected to last for several more days.

Firefighters are still on scene battling the fire that broke out on the tipping floor of the Eagle Point Energy Center, formerly known as Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. The cause of the fire is controversial and will likely never be known.

But the biggest questions concern the safety of residents in Orrington and surrounding towns as environmental regulators begin assessing air quality following the ongoing fire.

Here's everything we know about the fire, extinguishing efforts and environmental concerns.

When did the fire break out?

According to Orrington Deputy Fire Chief Chad Bean, the fire at EPEC broke out around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. According to a firefighter with the Brewer Fire Department, the first call reporting the fire came from a sighting on the other side of the Penobscot River.

Where in the facility is there a fire?

By the time firefighters arrived Tuesday evening, the flames had spread through the dump floor – where trash is collected and sorted – and were rising through the building's 200-by-400-foot roof, Bean said. At the time of the fire, there were approximately 8,000 tons of garbage in the incinerator.

What is the cause of the fire?

The plant's owners said they believe the cause was a lithium-ion battery. However, Orrington Fire Chief Scott Stewart and the former plant manager said Wednesday that they doubt that was the cause.

The cause of the fire will likely never be known because of the extent of the damage, Stewart said.

How many firefighters responded?

About 45 firefighters from Bangor, Brewer, Bucksport, Dedham, Eddington, Hampden, Holden, Levant and Orrington responded to the fire overnight Tuesday. The 20-person volunteer fire department in Orrington will continue the firefighting operations in the coming days.

When will the fire be put out?

It is unclear when the fire will be extinguished, but it will likely take days. Numerous government agencies and the company that owns the facility are working on a firefighting plan. This will likely include making sure the building is safe to enter and then removing the pile of trash.

Are the fumes from fire dangerous?

There are currently no known specific impacts to human health or air quality, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection said Wednesday morning. DEP and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials arrived on scene Wednesday and were expected to set up air monitors, Brewer police said after an interagency meeting.

Air monitoring results are not expected until Thursday, Stewart said.

How should people near the fire protect themselves from the smoke?

Orrington residents should stay indoors, keep windows closed and turn off air conditioning. People in neighboring cities should consider doing the same, especially if wind conditions change.

Schools in Orrington, Bucksport and Hampden held indoor recess Wednesday; Bangor and Brewer schools held recess outdoors but will monitor wind patterns in the coming days and transition to indoor recess if necessary.

Have there been any previous fires at the waste incineration plant?

In November, a trash pile spontaneously burned down, and several fires were reported in 2022, resulting from both improperly disposed of lithium-ion batteries and damaged cables.

This is one of the larger fires the facility has ever seen, Stewart said.

How does the fire impact the center's proposed reopening plan?

EPEC purchased the facility in March and announced in August that it had applied to the DEP for a transfer station permit to begin accepting waste. It's unclear what the fire means for the timeline.