Accident Recovery Efforts Making Progress 

The Norfolk Fire Department and the Emergency Management Department have issued this update in a continuing effort to keep the public informed about recovery efforts following Saturday morning's motor vehicle accident. A tractor-trailer overturned on Route 44, spilling 8,200 gallons of gasoline. Please note that the EMD also has a feed on the town's website, norfolkct.org.
And for more about what’s happening, visit norfolkct.org's calendar section, your daily directory to Norfolk living. Be sure to forward this newsletter to a friend so they can sign up for a free subscription.

To the residents of Norfolk:
Cleanup efforts resulting from Saturday morning’s gasoline tanker rollover and the release of 8,200 gallons of gasoline at 97 Greenwoods Road East on continue in earnest.

Day four brought heavy activity by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Verdantas Environmental and Environmental Services, Inc. at all three critical sites: Greenwoods Road East, Maple Avenue/Pettibone Lane, and the brook at the five-way intersection of Mills Way and Emerson Street.

Vacuum trucks continue to work around the clock cleaning the outflow of the brook as well as several catch basins along Maple Avenue.

Soil and air samplings continue to show varying levels of contamination at all sites and remediation continues by excavating soil, vacuuming product and removing it from the site.

Traffic control and detours around Norfolk were made safer by the presence of the State Department of Motor Vehicles Truck Squad, which had four personnel in the area stopping, questioning and preventing trucks from entering the local detours. They will continue to have a presence in and around town throughout the rest of the week.

Working with the Connecticut DMV, the DOT bolstered road signage in Norfolk and Winsted making it clearer to drivers how to get around and preventing local traffic jams.

The town’s Department of Public Works worked to reinstall speed signs on Laurel Way as well as refueling the light towers. They also assisted in moving the large variable message signs seen scattered around town.

The City of Torrington and the Torrington Fire Department continue to support the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department by supplying a crew for standby with the regional foam trailer on Route 44. Reimbursement for their time and equipment will be provided by the insurance company of the trucking company that was involved.

The National Guard Civil Support Team returned to Norfolk to deploy air monitors at various locations around Maple Avenue to ensure that air quality was safe throughout the day for voters coming into the area.

Botelle Elementary School continues to be in close contact with the emergency operations center and has been deemed safe throughout the incident. There are no expected changes to the school schedule for this week. However, bus routes for Botelle and Northwestern Regional 7 may have to be adjusted on a daily basis for the area around Maple Avenue, Emerson Street and Route 44.

The Connecticut West Incident Management Team has sent financial and planning specialists to assist with documentation in the emergency operations center at the Town Hall.

Much of today’s planning meeting focused on reopening Route 44 and the impending heavy rain expected for Friday and the weekend. Conversations with officials at the highest levels of state government continue to be valuable for the First Selectman and emergency managers.

By Wednesday afternoon, it is hoped there will be some answers to many of your questions including the reopening of Route 44, activity on Maple Avenue,and the ultimate cleanup of all contaminated material.

Issues of access to Maple Avenue and the Town Hall continue to be minimal and voting proceeded unimpeded.

This report was issued by Norfolk Fire Department Point of Information Officer Jon Barbagallo