Lawrence fire chief orders cease-and-desist at Winfield Alloy after Aug. 27 yard fires; council hears emergency briefing

The Lawrence Fire Department and Inspectional Services placed Winfield Alloy, a metal recycling yard at 15 Medford Street, under a cease-and-desist order after fires discovered Aug. 27 required substantial resources to extinguish and revealed multiple code and permit violations. Chief Patrick Delaney of the Lawrence Fire Department told the City Council on Sept. 2 that investigators found “three separate fires” burning inside a large scrap pile and concluded the facility lacked required procedures for reporting and for separating hazardous materials.

The chief said the company did not immediately notify the fire department when smoke was first observed, a failure he tied to the blaze growing from an incipient stage into deeper, prolonged burning. “State law 5 27 10.6 0.1, any person discovered an unwanted fire, regardless of magnitude, shall immediately notify the fire department,” Delaney told councilors, and added that the facility’s delay increased risk and resource needs.

Why it matters: councilors raised public-safety and environmental concerns after residents and council members reported toxic odors and respiratory worries during and after the incident. The fire committed multiple apparatus and crews for several hours, limiting mutual-aid capacity in the Merrimack Valley during the response, Delaney said.

What fire and inspection teams found and ordered: inspection teams from the fire department, Inspectional Services and the Building Department documented missing or out-of-date permits, unapproved outdoor storage and insufficient separation of hazardous commodities such as waste oil and batteries. Delaney said the teams concluded the violations — roughly seven to eight significant items, in his estimate — together warranted immediate suspension of operations until the property meets code. He described required fixes including annual sprinkler and alarm inspections, a site plan from a registered design professional and written employee procedures to report fires.

Winfield Alloy’s attorney and representatives told the council the company has moved quickly to comply. Attorney Denver Terms said the company revised employee emergency procedures to include notification language from the fire department, retrained staff and removed a large share of on-site waste oil. “They have removed 80 to 90% of all on-site waste oil,” Terms said, and said three of four required permits have been paid for and submitted; a high-pile storage permit remained pending.

Council action and next steps: at the start of the item the council suspended its normal rules to hear the matter as an emergency and then heard the chiefs and company representatives. Councilors later voted to table further council action and directed staff and departments to continue the administrative enforcement process. The fire chief said the cease-and-desist will be lifted only after Winfield notifies him that required documentation and repairs are in and a joint inspection by fire, Inspectional Services and the Building Department confirms compliance.

What councilors asked: Councilor LaPlante asked whether the council needed to take any license action immediately; Delaney said the department was not requesting an immediate council suspension but brought the matter because the license is issued by the council. Councilor Marmol and others pressed for long-term follow-up, stronger pre-issuance checks and better interdepartmental protocols when renewing or reviewing high-hazard permits. Councilor Lozon described the smoke as “like burnt chemicals” and said the city’s high rate of respiratory disease made the incident especially concerning.

Context and enforcement limits: Delaney said investigators reviewed video and witness statements and identified the area of origin within the pile but did not label the cause arson; investigators left the cause as undetermined pending further review. The company indicated there is pending litigation involving an abutting property but the council would not entertain allegations about cause without investigative evidence. Delaney and Inspectional Services repeatedly told the council the primary pathway to reopening is corrective action by the owner, then joint inspections.

Community impact and company profile: company counsel said Winfield Alloy employs about 16 Lawrence residents, serves roughly 100–130 customers daily and that disruption harms workers and local businesses. Councilors repeatedly said the incident exposed gaps in city permitting, inspection frequency and record-tracking for high-hazard businesses.

Next steps: the fire department said it would return to inspect once Winfield uploads required reports — including sprinkler and alarm service records and a site plan — and resolves outstanding municipal accounts. The council tabled the matter for follow-up; the chief said he will request the council revisit the license only if department recommendations require it.

Ending: the council did not revoke the license at the Sept. 2 meeting. Instead members used the briefing to press departments for a documented correction plan, periodic follow-up and clearer inspection procedures for similar businesses before future permit renewals.