Ian Munro
The Virginian-Pilot
(TNS)
Fire crews responded to a fire at waste-to-energy facility in Portsmouth Friday morning.
Fire crews from Portsmouth, Chesapeake and the Navy are on the scene at the Wheelabrator Portsmouth facility, located next to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
Emergency responders said the fire was reported around 11:50 am and they are in “defensive operations.” No injuries have been reported but the fire was causing traffic delays as the South Norfolk Jordan Bridge was closed to traffic.
It was unclear as of 1:30 p.m. when the bridge would reopen.
Fire at the Wheelabrator Portsmouth waste facility pic.twitter.com/Lc31HHbqwm
— Ian Munro (@iamIanMunro) December 16, 2022
Per day, the Wheelabrator facility burns around 2,370 tons of post-recycled waste from Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Franklin, Suffolk, Southampton County and Isle of Wight County, according to the company’s website. About 85% of the region’s trash is burned at that facility.
Staff writer Caitlyn Burchett contributed to this report.
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