By Benjamin Millar
Charges could be imminent over the toxic Tottenham warehouse fire that broke out 12 months ago this week, according to Victoria’s environmental authority.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has been investigating potential breaches of environmental laws in the lead-up to the August 30 fire – Melbourne’s biggest industrial fire in decades – and expects to lay charges before the end of this year.
The 14,000 square metre fire, which sent a black plume of smoke across the inner-west, was fuelled by an illegally dumped chemical cocktail of toxic waste and scrap metal.
EPA’s lengthy investigation has been carried out in parallel to an ongoing police investigation into the cause of the suspicious fire and any potential links with organised crime.
A coronial inquest is also under way at the request of fire authorities and the union representing firefighters who suffered from ill health after fighting the toxic blaze.
Site owner Christopher James Baldwin, via his company Danbol Pty Ltd, has been ordered to remove all high risk chemical waste from the site within 12 months.
EPA emergency management director Duncan Pendrigh said the land owner must clean up the Somerville Road site by August 17 next year.
“This notice is the first step as part of the long-term clean-up of the fire site and aims to minimise the harmful impacts of pollution and waste,” he said.
The company has until February 18 to provide a waste removal plan setting out time frames and detail as to where the waste is going and how it will be transported.
“Once EPA is satisfied … it will allow the company to proceed with the removal of the waste,” Mr Pendrigh said.
