Seven executives and employees of Santa Clara Waste Water were arrested August 7 related to the November 18 explosions and fires at SCWW facility west of Santa Paula. Three SPFD Firefighters remain off duty due to chemical exposure injuries; the department also lost an engine, as did Ventura County Fire due to damage related to the toxic spill.

Seven SCWW employees arrested by DA following probe of explosion

August 14, 2015
Santa Paula News

The circumstances of and the events following the November 18 explosions and fire at Santa Clara Waste Water were as muddled as the mix of chemicals that never could be identified in the incident that sent more than 50 people to area hospitals, including three Santa Paula firefighters that remain on leave due to exposure injuries.

Now, almost nine months later, seven executives and employees—perhaps more—have been arrested on suspicion of multiple offenses, including conspiracy to commit a crime, knowingly failing to warn of serious concealed danger, and hazardous waste and labor violations.

The August 7 arrests by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, revealed by the VC Star, were found on a booking log; those listed were Douglas Edwards, chairman of the board; Charles Mundy, who is listed as vice president; and employees Marlene Faltemier, Mark Avila, Kenneth Griffin, Dean Poe and Brock Gustin Baker.

Griffin’s arraignment is scheduled for August 24 but the others will make a court appearance August 21.

The initial explosion at SCWW, located on Mission Rock Road east of city limits, occurred about 3:45 a.m. November 18. Santa Paula Fire, acting under mutual aid, was first on scene, followed by a Ventura County Fire engine company.

According to the 18-page county Fire Protection District incident report, firefighters were assured by two employees on the scene that the approximately 1,000 gallons that had exploded with what a later witness said was a large blue flash out of the rear of a tanker truck was not hazardous. Two were injured during the explosion, one critically that firefighters had to walk through the solution to reach. Finally, a third employee told firefighters the substance on the ground “could possibly be hazardous chemicals.”

By 6 a.m., as the substance dried, spontaneous ignition of workers’ boots was reported; when the SPFD crew tried to move the engine its rear tires ignited filing the cab with what is believed to be toxic smoke.

Within hours a toxic cloud that formed above the facility ignited, causing a fire that consumed barrels of chemicals on the ground, a fire that had to burn itself out due to concerns of hazards.

A mile-radius was evacuated, later reduced to a half-mile; those living and working within the Mission Rock Road area were not allowed to return for almost a week. CARLS, a rescue shelter, was allowed to evacuate dozens of dogs the day after the explosion.

Santa Paula’s three firefighters remain on leave while being treated for respiratory aliments related to chemical exposure.

The District Attorney’s Office launched an investigation before the smoke cleared over the explosion but SCWW hired their own retired, high profile district attorney to write a report that found that a worker accidentally vacuumed the chemical compound sodium chlorite into the truck, where it mixed with domestic waste. The result was the explosion and fires.

Although still shuttered, Santa Clara Waste Water held an invitation only open house and Oxnard Chamber mixer where elected officials were expected; Oxnard cut off access to its new high-tech wastewater treatment plant to SCWW days after the explosion, a move that followed several write-ups noting concerns regarding a high rate of radioactivity in the waste sent via a 12-mile pipeline to Oxnard’s plant for processing.

It was found that a neighbor of SCWW had complained to the Ventura County Planning Department for more than a year about heavy truck night traffic and fumes but were told the company was operating within its permit.

Santa Clara Waste Water a.k.a. Southern California Waste Water, now operating as Green Compass Environmental Solutions, continued to be in the news: in April 2015 a hydrogen peroxide mixture was found to have dripped from a company truck in several locations in the Oxnard Plain. Company officials said the truck had been stolen from an Oxnard storage yard. The theft, reportedly captured on surveillance video, was not reported until a farmer reported the truck, which had already left several areas of bubbling liquid.

In June several thousands of gallons of what SCWW reported as storm runoff water flowed onto an onion growing enterprise in Oxnard after the pipeline from Santa Paula ruptured.

The August 7 arrests of company personnel came on the heels of a letter sent two days before to company officials from the Ventura County Environmental Health Division rejecting SCWW hazardous waste determination of portable tanks of which there are dozens still on site.

The rejection letter noted that SCWW has not provided any documentation that the wastes contained in many of the subject tanks are strictly crude oil E&P wastes and acknowledges “...no tracking of the waste into the discrete tanks was performed.” And, “...further identification of the source or date received for the contents of each tank is unknown.”

The letter also notes that “It appears contrary to SCWW’s policy to ‘only combine wastes of similar discrete waste category into individual waste holding tanks,’ wastes of different types have been comingled.”

The county’s rejection letter also noted needed clarification of barium, lead and benzene levels.





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