FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunapee Fire Department Responds to Two Hazardous Materials Incidents on Lake Sunapee
SUNAPEE, N.H. — On Saturday, July 25, the Sunapee Fire Department responded to two separate hazardous materials incidents on Lake Sunapee within just over an hour of each other, placing significant demands on local emergency responders who had already spent the previous night operating at the Third Alarm structure fire in Georges Mills.
At 5:02 PM, the Sunapee Fire Department and Newbury Fire Department were dispatched to the area of 1114 Lake Avenue in Georges Mills for a reported sinking boat. Sunapee Fire Boat 1, Newbury Fire Boat 1, and ground crews from the Sunapee Fire Department responded to the scene.
Upon arrival, crews located a small boat that had sunk near the shoreline. All three occupants had safely evacuated the vessel prior to the arrival of emergency personnel and were not injured. The boat owners advised firefighters that they had already contacted a marine salvage company and that a recovery barge was en route from Newbury Harbor.
Firefighters immediately began containing a gasoline and oil spill originating from the sunken vessel to minimize environmental impacts.
While crews from Sunapee and Newbury were still mitigating the incident in Georges Mills, a second possible fuel spill was reported in Sunapee Harbor at 6:15 PM. Sunapee Fire personnel were forced to divide their already limited resources, with additional crews responding to the harbor along with mutual aid from the New London Fire Department and additional resources from the Newbury Fire Department. Due to the significant commitment of local resources, the Goshen Fire Department provided a cover engine for the Town of Sunapee during both incidents.
These back-to-back hazardous materials incidents placed an extreme strain on the Sunapee Fire Department and our mutual aid partners. Many of the responding firefighters had already been awake throughout the night while operating at the Third Alarm structure fire in Georges Mills earlier that morning.
As a reminder, nearly all local fire departments in the Lake Sunapee Region operate with on-call or volunteer personnel. Staffing multiple large-scale emergencies simultaneously can be extremely challenging. During these two incidents, the Sunapee Fire Department had only six members available to manage both emergency scenes. This is why mutual aid was called, but even then, manpower was limited.
The Sunapee Fire Department, along with our mutual aid partners, worked closely with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) throughout both incidents.
Below are the most recent updates we can provide regarding both incidents. Additional information will be released as we receive it.
- Sunken Boat – Georges Mills -
Sunapee Fire Boat 1, Newbury Fire Boat 1, and the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol remained on scene for approximately three hours awaiting the arrival of the salvage barge. Due to the prolonged response time, the boat owners were ultimately able to refloat the vessel themselves, at which point Marine Patrol safely towed it to Georges Mills Harbor.
Sunapee Fire and Newbury Fire cleared the incident at 8:57 PM.
The Sunapee Fire Department and NH DES will continue monitoring the area today and throughout the coming week for any remaining gasoline or oil that may surface from the vessel. If members of the public notice any petroleum sheen or signs of contamination on the water, they are encouraged to immediately call 911 so emergency responders can respond and investigate promptly.
- Sunapee Harbor Investigation -
The Sunapee Fire Department, Newbury Fire Department, New London Fire Department, and NH DES conducted an extensive investigation into the reported sheen observed throughout Sunapee Harbor.
Preliminary observations indicate it is consistent with the same type of sheen that has been investigated in the harbor earlier this summer and again last fall.
NH DES collected multiple samples for laboratory testing. Firefighters and environmental officials also conducted an extensive search for a possible source using a drone, inspecting vessels throughout the harbor, and checking beneath nearby docks and buildings. No identifiable source was located.
At this time, there is no known danger to the harbor, recreational boaters, or the public. The Sunapee Fire Department and NH DES will continue monitoring the area and investigating throughout the coming week.
Sunapee Fire and the previously listed mutual aid departments cleared the scene in Sunapee Harbor at 8:48 PM.
The Sunapee Fire Department would like to remind the public that when firefighters and other emergency personnel are operating at emergency scenes, especially incidents involving hazardous materials, it is important to give responders the space they need to work safely and efficiently. Please use caution when traveling near emergency apparatus and always follow the directions of first responders.
The Sunapee Fire Department would like to thank the Newbury Fire Department, New London Fire Department, Goshen Fire Department, the Sunapee Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol, and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services for their continued assistance and partnership during these incidents.