Oil spill, fire prompts DEEP review of Wallingford chemical facility with ‘history of spills and reporting failures’

WALLINGFORD, CT (WFSB) - Wallingford firefighters responded to their third incident in less than 12 hours on Thursday morning.

The latest incident started as an oil spill at the Allnex chemical facility on Cherry Street.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the spill actually happened weeks earlier and had not been fully cleaned up.

“Insulation in the ceiling had become saturated with fuel oil, and when the facility’s burner system turned on, it ignited the insulation, starting a building-wide fire,” DEEP said.

The Wallingford Fire Department had the situation under control once it arrived.

“DEEP’s Emergency Response Unit was on site to assess any environmental impacts and assist with hazardous materials concerns,” DEEP said in its report.

It determined that there were no concerns about any environmental impact.

“All chemicals involved appear to have been contained within the facility, and there is no known threat to public health or nearby waterways,” DEEP said.

However, the agency said the incident was under review because the company has a history of spills and reported failures.

No injuries were reported.

The incident was the third scene to which crews responded.

Wednesday night, firefighters responded to two fires at apartment complexes in town.