NEWBURG, MD (Tuesday, September 12, 2006) * The Charles County Department of Emergency Services and the Newburg Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad want to alert residents in the Newburg area that smoke may be present in their neighborhood this week from a fire that was discovered this morning in a mulch pile at the Maxi Mulch,12310 Crain Highway.
“The material that is burning is green debris * tree stumps, brush, etc. It is under control. There’s no fire hazard, but there may be smoke for an extended period of time until the fire burns out,” said George Hayden, Newburg VFD Fire Chief. “In the meantime, we want to advise the community to take precautions to protect their health.”
Residents should keep their windows and doors closed. Persons with respiratory problems should avoid going outside when is smoke present.
The fire was found in a mulch pile approximately three stories high and half the size of a football field, Chief Hayden said. Fire companies from Newburg, Bel Alton, La Plata, Cobb Island, Mechanicsville, Bryans Road, and Seventh District Avenue in Maryland, and King George and Dahlgren in Virginia responded, as well as the Forestry Service and the Maryland Department of the Environment.
There were no injuries reported.
The company has applied for a burn permit from the Charles County Department of Health to allow the fire to burn out. Department of Health officials report that the fire was accidental, caused by spontaneous combustion.
If you have health concerns, please consult your family physician or contact the Charles County Departmnet of Health at 301-609-6900.