Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 29, 2023 SCARY SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 1 Chief Newbury said. WIN Waste blamed a malfunctioning valve for the violent venting of steam that produced about 20 minutes of horrific noise that annoyed and frightened hundreds of residents in Saugus and Revere. In an initial text message alert to the community, WIN explained that the plant had “experienced an upset condition that necessitated the ventilation of steam, without the opportunity to route it through the silencers…The result was steam that was both visible and audible.” Declaring it an emergency Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree requested the emergency Board of Health meeting after Saugus Public safety dispatchers were flooded with calls. “I am aware that this was unsettling to many residents and families throughout Saugus. The Town takes this matter seriously,” Crabtree said in a press release issued Tuesday morning. “Therefore, I have requested that the Saugus Board of Health, which has juMAN IN THE HOT SEAT: Peter DiCecco, WIN Waste Innovations Senior Vice President of Operations, apologized for the inconvenience and unrest that Monday night’s plant malfunction caused for residents who heard the loud noise from WIN’s trash-to energy plant. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) risdiction concerning this incident, to immediately convene an emergency public meeting to have representatives from WIN Waste Innovations explain what occurred, why it occurred, and what steps they will take to prevent it from happening again.” At the end of the 90-minute hearing, Board of Health Chair William Heffernan vowed, “We will hold WIN accountable.” “We will act sooner rather than later,” he said, noting that the board will be meeting with town counsel and the health director to determine what enforcement action should be taken against WIN, including actions the company should be required to take. “I know what authority we have, and I’m not afraid to use it,” HefOur 51st Anniversary Dan - 1972 We Sell Cigars & Accessories! ALL MAJOR BRANDS Singles * Tins * Bundles * Boxes * Travel Humidors * Desk Top Humidors * Many Types of Lighters * Ash Trays * Juuls * Vapes * Glass Pipes * Rewards Program * CBD Infused Products * GIFTS UNDER $30 - GIFT CERTIFICATES SMOKER’S DELIGHT! 15 HANDMADE CIGARS! Four-Year-Old Tobacco * 100% Long Filler * Cellophane $43.95 STORE HOURS: Mon. - Sat.: 9AM - 7PM Sunday & Holidays: 9AM - 6PM R.Y.O. TOBACCO & TUBES ON SALE! WE MAKE HOUSE KEYS! Green Label Cigar Sale! Buy 2 Cigars, Get One FREE! A.B.C. CIGAR 170 REVERE ST., REVERE (781) 289-4959 Chris 2023 OVERWHELMED BY THE CALLS: Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli told the Board of Health that public safety dispatchers received more than 400 complaints on the emergency 911 and business telephone lines about the noise on Monday night. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) fernan said. Heffernan said he believed the noise caused by a faulty valve at the plant “was the loudest we’ve ever seen in my lifetime.” Heffernan said he liked some of the ideas proposed at the meeting, including the establishment of a communications loop between the town and WIN when serious events happen and a reverse 911 call so residents can be briefed as soon as possible when those events occur. “In my opinion, this was a catastrophic failure,” Heffernan said. He called on the company to increase its preventative maintenance and suggested that monthly testing of the equipment be increased from monthly to twice-a-month. Some residents said the testing of the equipment should be conducted during the day and not at night. In response to a resident’s concerns about the noise incident, Heffernan said he would request an evaluation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian, a longtime critic of the plant, SCARY SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 3
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