ST. PAUL — State and city officials continue to search for the cause of a fire and explosion along University Avenue in Minneapolis on the University of Minnesota campus on Thursday. The State Fire Marshal's office in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety has taken the lead in the investigation at this time.
Minnesota's State Fire Marshal Jim Smith said that the Met Council, the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota are working together to examine the regional and local sanitary sewer systems starting at the site of the fire and explosion. “At this time, we think the situation has stabilized, but we remain vigilant," Smith said.
Overnight and into Saturday morning the Met Council Environmental Services division as well as the Minneapolis and St. Paul fire departments have not found additional evidence of odors or high levels of flammable materials while monitoring the system. Staff have also contacted communities along the path of the sewer corridor north of Minneapolis urging them to be aware of odors and reports of any person, business, or industry that may be depositing flammable materials into the sanitary sewer system.
“We will continue to monitor the sewer system over the next few days, along with the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, to ensure public safety," said Smith. “We also continue to investigate to find the source that is responsible for the discharge of a hazardous material into the system."
The region's wastewater collection and treatment system includes 640 miles of sanitary sewers and nine treatment plants. Wastewater flows from homes and businesses, heads down a pipe away from the property to a sewer pipe maintained by a city or township. That pipe then connects to a regional sanitary sewer that brings the used water to the wastewater treatment plant to be cleaned and released back into the environment. The size and complexity of the system requires a strong collaborative effort to ensure the systems are clear of any dangerous material.
“The effort by these local governments and the state to work together to understand the problem and resolve the issue is outstanding," Smith said.
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State, Local Governments Search for Cause of Fire, Sewer Explosion in Minneapolis
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ST. PAUL — State and city officials continue to search for the cause of a fire and explosion along University Avenue in Minneapolis on the University of Minnesota campus on Thursday. The State Fire Marshal's office in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety has taken the lead in the investigation at this time.
Minnesota's State Fire Marshal Jim Smith said that the Met Council, the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota are working together to examine the regional and local sanitary sewer systems starting at the site of the fire and explosion. “At this time, we think the situation has stabilized, but we remain vigilant," Smith said.
Overnight and into Saturday morning the Met Council Environmental Services division as well as the Minneapolis and St. Paul fire departments have not found additional evidence of odors or high levels of flammable materials while monitoring the system. Staff have also contacted communities along the path of the sewer corridor north of Minneapolis urging them to be aware of odors and reports of any person, business, or industry that may be depositing flammable materials into the sanitary sewer system.
“We will continue to monitor the sewer system over the next few days, along with the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, to ensure public safety," said Smith. “We also continue to investigate to find the source that is responsible for the discharge of a hazardous material into the system."
The region's wastewater collection and treatment system includes 640 miles of sanitary sewers and nine treatment plants. Wastewater flows from homes and businesses, heads down a pipe away from the property to a sewer pipe maintained by a city or township. That pipe then connects to a regional sanitary sewer that brings the used water to the wastewater treatment plant to be cleaned and released back into the environment. The size and complexity of the system requires a strong collaborative effort to ensure the systems are clear of any dangerous material.
“The effort by these local governments and the state to work together to understand the problem and resolve the issue is outstanding," Smith said.
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