Birds To Blame For Fire At Water Treatment Plant

Birds appear to be the culprit behind a recent fire at a water treatment plant in Peabody, MA.

As The Salem News put it, it is appropriate to “blame it on the birds.”

Fire investigators revealed the cause of the three-alarm blaze “that heavily damaged the city’s water treatment plant,” the report said.

“The roof of the Coolidge Avenue building was destroyed in the blaze, and there was heavy damage to the right side of the building. Some of the equipment used in the operation of the facility was also damaged,” it continued.

“The busy avians chewed through insulation and into electrical wires on exterior light fixtures, exposing conductors whose heat set the nests alight like kindling,” Mass Live reported.

The water plant has been shut down since the fire, reports said. Lt. Chris Dowling, fire inspector and investigator, weighed in per The Salem News.

“It looks like it was possibly birds that were nesting in the soffit area (of the building),” he said. “There were nests there, and they chewed away at the insulation to the wiring.”

A three-alarm fire broke out March 13 at “a water pumping station in Peabody, but there was no apparent danger to the city’s water supply,” The Boston Globe reported, citing a fire official.  

The plant may be out of operation for a year, The Salem News reported, citing facilities manager Tim Healy.

Officials are looking for ways to ensure water delivery while the plant is out of commission. This could include summertime water restrictions and procuring water from other municipalities. The fire damaged electronic equipment in the facilities. “The city has been pumping in extra water courtesy Massachusetts Water Resource Authority since the blaze,” Mass Live reported.

The city has spent $1 million in recent years to make upgrades at this facility and another plant, The Salem News reported.

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