Fire breaks out at Wheelabrator facility in Portsmouth; Jordan Bridge closed

Ian Munro, The Virginian-Pilot
·1 min read

Fire crews responded to a fire at waste-to-energy facility in Portsmouth Friday morning.

Fire crews from Portsmouth, Chesapeake and the Navy are on the scene at the Wheelabrator Portsmouth facility, located next to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

Emergency responders said the fire was reported around 11:50 am and they are in “defensive operations.” No injuries have been reported but the fire was causing traffic delays as the Jordan Bridge was closed to traffic.

Per day, the Wheelabrator facility burns around 2,370 tons of post-recycled waste from Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Franklin, Suffolk, Southampton County and Isle of Wight County, according to the company’s website. About 85% of the region’s trash is burned at that facility.

Ian Munro, ian.munro@virginiamedia.com