Independence Excavating Inc. Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Freedom Industries contractors began the demolition process at the site of a January chemical leak that tainted the water supply of 300,000 West Virginians. Contractors knocked out a wall and ripped piping materials from the tanks Tuesday.

Freedom Chief Restructuring Officer Mark Welch said four tanks will remain up to store stormwater and waste at the site until their contents are removed. He said, at that point, the contents will be removed and those tanks will be torn down at the end of the process.

Welch says Tank No. 396, which is the tank that stored MCHM and leaked into the river on January 9, will be demolished sometime next week.

Here are some images of the site just before and during the initial phases of the demolition process:

Tank No. 396 at Freedom Industries is the one where the January 9 leak occurred. Part of the tank wall was removed so it could be inspected from the inside, according to Freedom Industries Chief Restructuring Officer Mark Welch.

Freedom Chief Restructuring Officer Mark Welch stands next to the tanks that will soon be demolished.

The containment wall where MCHM made its way through and into the Elk River.

A view from the bank below the tank farm. Below my feet is the stormwater trench that overflowed on June 12 and 13.

An opening of the stormwater trench below the hill of the tank farm, where an overflow occurred on June 12 and 13. Mark Welch called this the “last resort” for catching storm or groundwater at the site.

Contractors from Independence Excavating attach a sheer to a backhoe in preparation of demolition at the site.

Demolition of the tanks begins on Wednesday morning.

The logo / slogan of contractors Independence Excavating reads: “Earth now, Moon later.”

A bankruptcy judge has initially approved plans for the company at the center of a January chemical spill to demolish its storage tanks.

Unless objections are filed by Friday afternoon, Judge Ronald Pearson said in court documents Monday he will give Freedom Industries the go-ahead to tear down its Charleston site.

The state Department of Environmental Protection ordered the demolition. Freedom expects the process to end by late June.

Freedom wants to use Independence Excavating Inc. to remove tanks, piping, equipment and other components.

Freedom would receive $25,000 for assets demolished and removed. The contract wouldn’t include remediating environmental damage to the site.

Freedom’s spill contaminated tap water for 300,000 West Virginians for days.

Federal officials have already removed evidence on site for investigations.

Tag: Independence Excavating Inc.

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