Residents urge township to block SPS Technologies rebuild after major factory fire; cite EPA action and health concerns

Several Abington residents during public comment on Sept. 11 urged the Board of Commissioners to oppose or block SPS Technologies' planned rebuilding at the site of a major factory fire, citing health, environmental and transparency concerns.

Anne Negolitas, a longtime Abington resident, said the factory fire was "one of the biggest in Montgomery County's history," described evacuations that kept her family from their home for three days and said the EPA found elevated arsenic levels in the Tukonee Creek near the site. Negolitas also cited an agenda-referenced consent agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from Feb. 2023 and an associated payment she quoted as $109,805 to resolve hazardous-waste storage and disposal violations that she said included improper handling of chemicals such as cyanide. "We began to read about the factory and its long history of negligence with regard to the storage and use of toxic chemicals," Negolitas said.

Colby Kaiser, who said he has lived in the neighborhood for 23 years, described recurring strong odors and "off-gassing" he said he and neighbors experienced before the fire and described health effects he attributed to the event, including headaches that subsided when he left the area. Kaiser said he and other residents evacuated and expressed surprise that rebuilding is being considered in what he described as a residential, suburban area. He also raised concerns about utility usage at the site, saying the company likely does not pay commensurate rates for continuous water use at a large industrial operation.

Resident Laura Laymon told the board she was "stunned" at how quickly an investigation appeared to conclude and at the rapid demolition of the building, saying, "I've never seen an investigation get wrapped up that quickly and all the evidence be made to disappear before it was complete." Laymon said the township has responsibilities to ensure toxic materials are handled properly and expressed concern that rapid demolition could hinder a complete review.

No formal land-use or permitting vote was recorded on the SPS site during the Sept. 11 meeting; these comments were part of the public-comment period. The board chair opened the meeting noting that the board had held an executive session earlier in the evening to discuss matters "pertaining to land and legal issues," but the transcript does not show a motion or formal action related to the SPS site at this meeting.

Speakers requested greater transparency and a fuller accounting of environmental sampling and regulatory findings before any rebuilding. Residents also asked for the township to clarify its oversight responsibilities and for the board to ensure a thorough, independent review of contamination and public-health risks before permitting reconstruction.

The transcript records the environmental and enforcement claims as statements by residents during public comment. The board did not announce any immediate follow-up action on the SPS site during the meeting; residents asked for additional investigation and public reporting.