Poor work, oversight to blame for Hawaii firefighting chemicals leak

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An improperly installed air relief valve and poor maintenance are responsible for the leak of firefighting chemicals at the Red Hill bulk fuel storage facility in Hawaii in November 2022, according to a new report from the US Navy.

The new report from Joint Task Force-Red Hill looked into the Nov. 29 incident, which saw the Aqueous Film Forming Foam, or AFFF, spill until their container was empty. Foam contains cancer-linked toxic materials known as PFAS, or forever chemicals. A Kinetix contractor failed to properly install the vacuum valves with the fire suppression system at the depot in April 2022. Additionally, the same contractor failed to disable the pumps containing AFFF before a test of the firefighting system, resulting in the 20-minute spill in November.

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I have ordered this investigation to determine what caused the accidental release of AFFF concentrate and to reduce the risk of a future accident, Vice Admiral John Wade, commander of JTF-RH, said in a statement on the ‘investigation. A focused investigation allowed us to effectively determine how and why the rejection occurred. We used this information to immediately implement risk reduction measures throughout the facility and to inform the Department of Defense (DoD) of actions that can be taken to further reduce risk in off-site areas. within the competence of the JTF-RH. Safe and timely refueling of Red Hill remains our top priority to protect the people and environment of Hawaii.

The November leak from AFFF came a year after a fuel leak at the Red Hill bulk fuel storage facility. The November 2021 spill forced military families to be relocated. Many have reported side effects from the water, including skin rashes and other illnesses. A subsequent Army investigation revealed a series of Navy errors that contributed to the severity of the spill.

In addition to the poor installation, the Navy failed to properly inspect the system once installed.

As with the fuel leak, the AFFF release was located just 100 feet above the Basal Aquifer of South Oahu, a major source of fresh water for the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The Navy has been dealing with the fallout from the various leaks for months.

Following the November 2022 spill, contaminated soil and asphalt were removed and resurfaced. The Navy has been doing soil tests since.

The investigation into the leak began in early December. The investigators were able to use the video on the spot to facilitate their research.

As a result of the investigation, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command ordered a review of the maintenance oversight process as well as a review of all potentially hazardous materials at the facility.

The Navy continues to test on the ground and on the water around the fuel depot.

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