A second industrial fire on Middle River within the past month occurred on Middle River at the manufacturing company, AccuTec.

On Monday, December 4, Friends of the Middle River member and volunteer, George Neighbors, reported seeing oil on the river at his Middle River property and he reported it to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). HERE is the link to the radio report done by Randi B. Hagi at WMRA and here is is the transcript:

"A recent fire at the AccuTec factory in Verona resulted in oily water washing into the Middle River, which the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is monitoring.

According to a report filed with the DEQ, around 12:30 or 1 a.m. on Monday, there was a fire in the grinder operation area at AccuTec, which produces razors and other blades. There were no reported injuries, although two people did go to the hospital as a precaution for smoke inhalation. The fire was caused by a spark in one of the facility's filtration units.

The DEQ's communications office told WMRA that firefighting activities caused oily water to enter a drainage area, which led to a visible sheen downstream in the Middle River. The company has hired a contractor to contain the contamination using oil booms – a type of floating barrier which will 'fence in' the petroleum product. The DEQ continues to monitor the site, and says that currently there are no indications of negative impact on aquatic life. The sheen is 'so light, it will eventually volatilize and dissipate in the river.'"