Work at Charleston's Edgewood School site upsets some neighbors - WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports

Work at Charleston's Edgewood School site upsets some neighbors

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By David Iversen, Reporter - bio | email
Piles of debris burning at about 9 p.m. at the site of the new Edgewood School site. Photo courtesy of Sarah Sullivan Piles of debris burning at about 9 p.m. at the site of the new Edgewood School site. Photo courtesy of Sarah Sullivan
CHARLESTON, West Virginia -

A company's late-night labor has some Charleston neighbors in an uproar.

Carpenter Reclamation Inc. is clearing areas near the new Edgewood School site. Part of the clearing process is burning the trees and brush. The Sissonville company has permits from the Charleston Fire Department and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Air Quality to do so.

The problem is, that work is going on well past the time it's allowed and it's too close, , said neighbor Sarah Sullivan.

Out as late as 3 a.m. Saturday, Sullivan said the crews are creating a health hazard by burning large piles of timber down wind from the neighborhood.

Members of the Charleston Fire Department said the company has a permit to burn 24 hours a day, as long as they are contacted before the fire happens.

That directly contradicts the DEP's permit, which says the fire can burn only during daylight hours. 

DEP Senior Engineer Robert Keatley said they are evaluating whether Carpenter violated the permit by burning when they did. 

Randy Carpenter, the company's contact, did not return our calls for comment.