Smoke rising over the Pennhurst property last week sparked a tense exchange between East Vincent Township officials and nearby residents during the May 5 board of supervisors meeting.
Steve Hacker of Brown Drive said he was out of town when he began receiving messages from neighbors describing the smell of burning plastic and rubber in the area, and asking whether he could see smoke coming from the Pennhurst property. He said he was particularly concerned because a housesitter was staying at his home at the time.
“It’s like these guys just think they can do whatever they want,” Hacker said of those operating on the Pennhurst site.
Joanna Tenney of New Street said the odors affected residents living more than a mile away from the property.
“I smelled the plastic burning,” she said. “I couldn’t open my windows that night. My kids couldn’t play outside.”
For Cindy Ramsey of Pennhurst Road, the incident raised broader concerns about oversight.
“Why isn’t somebody down there doing something about it?” she said.
What Township Officials Said
Township staff said police first responded to reports of burning activity at Pennhurst on April 28. According to Assistant Township Manager Haley Baer, officers responding to the site did not observe plastic or rubber being burned at the time.
Baer said the following day the township’s building code official issued a cease-and-desist order to the property owner under the township’s open burning ordinance after smoke was reported drifting onto neighboring properties. After conducting a site inspection, township officials said they observed wood and landscape debris, including pallets and brush, had been burned.
Township Manager Bob Zienkowski told the board that soil and ash samples had been collected for testing and said the results would be posted publicly once completed. He also said the area where the burning occurred had historically been used for gardens and athletic fields on the former Pennhurst property.
Residents Challenge Township Findings
Several residents disputed the township’s characterization of the site activity.
State Sen. Katie Muth, an East Vincent resident, told the board she launched a drone from near the Southeastern Veterans’ Center after seeing smoke rising from the Pennhurst property. She said the footage appeared to show demolition debris being burned.
“You can zoom in on that footage and see all sorts of building debris from demolition,” Muth said. “You can see tires, you can see pipe, you can see bricks. There’s plastic wrapping that’s in the burning heap.”
Muth said she returned the next day with a representative from Physicians for Social Responsibility who used a thermal drone to identify heat signatures beneath dirt that had been pushed over portions of the burn area.
“What was covered up with dirt was still burning underneath,” she said. “You just couldn’t see it.”
DEP Investigation and Testing
The Pennhurst property — a former state institution and brownfield site — has long drawn scrutiny from residents concerned about environmental conditions and redevelopment activity, including a proposed 1.9 million-square-foot data center complex.
Township officials said the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was conducting its own investigation into the incident. Baer told the board township staff had contacted the DEP’s air quality division and provided a summary of the township’s findings.
Residents also pressed officials about the testing process for the collected soil samples, including who gathered them, what contaminants would be analyzed, and which laboratory would receive the material. Zienkowski said that the township intended to “run the full gamut” of tests on ash collected from the scene.
Supervisor Dana Ciaffone questioned whether any permit had been submitted before the burning activity occurred. Township officials confirmed no permit had been filed.
“We can’t say what’s in his brain that he would think that that was okay,” Ciaffone said of the Pennhurst property owner.
Supervisor Craig Damon acknowledged that the situation could have been initiated by staff acting without the owner’s approval, but the owner is still responsible either way.
What Happens Next
Solicitor Joe Clement advised residents to contact the DEP directly if they observe additional burning activity and to call 911 if the situation appears to be an emergency. He noted that the DEP has broader authority to access private property during active situations.
Zienkowski also told residents the township would help the DEP gain access to the site if needed.
Officials encouraged residents to submit drone footage, photographs, and any additional documentation directly to the township and the DEP as the investigation continues.
This article was generated with AI assistance. All content was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by John McGuire.
