1 hurt in explosion at Rostraver landfill

By ERIC SEIVERLING
eseiverling@yourmvi.com

One person was injured after an explosion Wednesday morning at Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill in Rostraver Township.
According to Rostraver Central Fire Dept. Assistant Fire Chief Justin Shawley, landfill crews were working on a methane gas line when an explosion occurred around 9:50 a.m. causing a small flash fire.
Shawley said a man suffered burns and was treated by Rostraver West Newton Emergency Services and flown by STAT MedEvac to UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Landfill employees were able to extinguish the fire, Shawley said, and by 10:50 a.m., emergency and fire crews had cleared the scene.
North Belle Vernon, Collinsburg and Rostraver Township No. 1 Webster fire departments were called to assist at the landfill, located at 901 Tyrol Blvd., but were canceled before arriving on scene.
Earlier this month, Rostraver Township officials learned the state Department of Environmental Protection filed repeat violations against Westmoreland County Sanitary Landfill in July, bringing the total number of violations for the year to 36.
During an Aug. 5 meeting, Rostraver Township Commissioner Devin DeRienzo, who chairs the health and welfare committee, said most of the repeat violations were for inadequate coverage.
At the request of the township, the DEP has done several after-hours inspections at the landfill in which no violations were found, but there were nine other occasions in July with violations involving adequate cover and leachate issues.
Township officials have been working closely with the DEP on the landfill issues.