The “Shadow” and the “Scribe” have joined forces to prevent what they have asserted is a fire in the making at the Kapa‘a transfer station. The twosome, Jerome Freitas of Kapa‘a, and Ray Chuan of Hanalei, say the stacking of
The “Shadow” and the “Scribe” have joined forces to prevent what they have asserted is a fire in the making at the Kapa‘a transfer station.
The twosome, Jerome Freitas of Kapa‘a, and Ray Chuan of Hanalei, say the stacking of white goods at the facility is fertile ground for a fire that could spread to nearby homes.
County officials say nonsense, because proper procedures are in place to prevent a fire.
Freitas, who wears an Elvis pompadour, likes to be called the “Shadow” because he is a government whistleblower.
Chuan is also a government watchdog, and sees himself as the Shadow’s “scribe” because he sends out e-mails on the shortcomings of government.
The twosome contend the conditions at the transfer station are very similar to the conditions that sparked a massive fire at the Lihu‘e transfer station in July 2004.
Tons of appliances like stove and refrigerators caught fire and blackened the skies over Lihu‘e before the blaze was extinguished.
That fire severely tested the response by the county. Not only did emergency personnel have to put out a fire at the Lihu‘e transfer station, but they also had to put out fires in former canefields that threatened to advance mauka to homes in Lihu‘e town.
At the same time, a helicopter crashed while helping to put out the fire.
But the scenario isn’t likely to repeat itself at the Kapa‘a transfer station because the white goods are separated from combustible materials and are periodically moved to other quarters, top Kaua‘i County Public Works officials said.
If that is the intention of Public Works officials, that is fine, but they haven’t acted even after they told him they would do so, Freitas claimed.
Frietas said he was particularly concerned about some white goods that had fallen into a ravine, near which are found two homes.
“In June (this year), I went to Donald Fujimoto (the County Engineer) and we went to the area, and he said, ‘No worries, we can take care of that. We can go back there with a backhoe,'” Freitas said. “Well, it is still there. I have nothing against Donald and other guys, but I am only doing this because of the safety (issue).”
Fujimoto and Troy Tanigawa, the county’s solid waste specialist, said they took no offense and are ready to take action.
“We are going to take care of it,” Fujimoto said. “Our guys can go back there with a backhoe and pull it back up (to the area where a large volume of white goods are piled.”
Tanigawa noted that a program is in place to rotate out white goods.
“We have a program to consistently haul out the stuff (to a recycling facility),” he said.
Chuan said a revised state Department of Health permit for the Kapa‘a transfer station limits storage of white goods to a 350-square-foot area or the storage of a maximum of 80 pieces in an designated area.
In addition, the white goods have to be stored in an upright position, and should not be mixed, the permit notes.
White goods should be removed from the transfer station, at a minimum, once a month, starting July 1, 2005, according to the permit.
The permit also dealt with the recycling, disposal of tires and other operational matters at the Kapa‘a facility.
Chuan said it was his impression the grounds weren’t properly prepared for the stockpiling of white goods.
Chuan said he also is concerned the July 2004 fire doesn’t repeat itself at any of the county transfer stations.
He said he wrote to DOH leaders in August and in October last year, stating his concerns about what he said was the improper mixing of debris at the Lihu‘e transfer station.
A county analysis indicated the fire occurred because combustible materials mixed in with the white goods caught fire.
- Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and lchang@ kauaipubco.com.
