The Allegany County Landfill, north of Belmont, will re-open today following Tuesday’s closure due to a reported hazardous materials incident in a dumpster which sent two individuals to the hospital for smoke exposure and apparently caused evacuation of the immediate area as a precaution.
Official details of the incident remain sketchy but a one-paragraph 3:55PM county press release from Public Works Superintendent Thomas Windus reports that “(t)he Allegany County Landfill Transfer Station located at 6006 County Road 48, Town of Angelica, will resume normal operations Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. To those affected by the temporary closure on September 15, 2026, thank you for your patience.”
The “chemical reaction in the dumpster producing a small amount of smoke,” was reported at 9:09AM to the County 911 Center, according to the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office.
The first apparent notification to the general public came at 10:56 AM from Angelica Fire and Rescue in a Facebook post providing call information that:
“(ANGELFR) :9/15/2026 09:09:35
“Call:HazMat Investigation,
“Nature:CHEMICAL FIRE IN DUMPSTER,
“Address:6006 COUNTY ROAD 48, ANGELICA,
“ALLEGANY COUNTY TRANSFER STATION 8 / LANDFILL,
“Intersections:COUNTY ROAD 20 / JAGUAR DR,
“Add Loc Info:”
A little over 10 minutes later, at 11:07AM, the Allegany County Office of Emergency Management posted a notice to its Facebook page reporting:
“HAZMAT INCIDENT – ANGELICA
“Emergency crews are currently operating at a hazardous materials incident at the Allegany County Transfer Station on County Road 48 in Angelica. County Road 48 is closed in the affected area, and residents in the immediate vicinity are being evacuated as a precaution.
“Please avoid the area and follow all instructions from emergency personnel. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”
At 1:40PM, the Sheriff’s Department posted a press release to unknown outlets (nothing was received by Allegany Hope Community News) to Facebook, a copy of which accompanies this story.
The press release was uploaded by the County Emergency Management Office to its Facebook page at 2:56PM, with its original 11:07am post, being updated at some undated time that County Road 48 had re-opened.
In the meantime, at 10:08AM, prior to any generally known official printed reports, the Stewarding Allegany County Natural Resources (SACNR) group, which has been opposing battery energy storage system (BESS) sites in Angelica and other county locations, issued a public service announcement on its Facebook page, picked up two minutes later by the Angelica, NY Community Buzz Facebook page, regarding the incident:
“PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
“ISSUED BY: Stewarding Allegany County Natural Resources
“SUBJECT: Emergency Response & Safety Notice – Chemical Fire Operational Update
“TO ALL RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORS, AND EMERGENCIES PERSONNEL IN ALLEGANY COUNTY:
“As fire crews, first responders, and local authorities actively respond to the chemical fire situation affecting landfill operations at the County Landfill in Belmont, our top priority is the safety, health, and well-being of every resident, worker, and firefighter on the front lines.
“We stand unified as a community, extending our deepest thoughts, prayers, and strength to the brave men and women risking their lives to contain this incident. We pray for wisdom for our leadership, courage for our first responders, and that everyone comes home safe.
“CRITICAL PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTIVES
“Evacuation & Shelter-in-Place: If you are within the affected area downwind of the fire, follow all orders from local emergency management immediately. If directed to shelter in place, stay indoors, shut all windows and doors, and turn off HVAC systems to prevent outside air from circulating inside.
“Avoid the Area: Please stay clear of all roads leading toward the facility. Unnecessary traffic blocks water tankers and emergency vehicles from accessing the scene safely.
“Air Quality & Smoke Exposure: Chemical fires produce toxic smoke and particulates. If you experience difficulty breathing, eye irritation, or dizziness, seek medical attention immediately. Keep pets indoors.
“Water & Natural Resource Protection: We can only Hope that Local and state environmental monitoring units are assessing air and runoff risks to protect our surrounding land and the Genesee River watershed. Follow local municipal updates regarding any temporary water advisories.
“EMERGENCY CONTACTS & UPDATES
“Emergency: Call 911 immediately for urgent health or safety crises.
“Official Information Line: Check official Town and Allegany County Emergency Management social media pages and broadcasts for verified shelter locations and road closures. Do not rely on unverified rumors.
“To our firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement officers, and municipal crews: Thank you for your selfless service. Stay vigilant, look out for one another, and stay safe. You got this, and we appreciate you!”
Town declines to approve local law
At its regular meeting Monday night, the Angelica Town Board had refused to adopt a local law, for which it held a public hearing last month to regulate BESS facilities, saying it had not provided a notice on its regular agenda to do so.
SACNR was formed after information became available several months ago that a BESS installation was being proposed for a site on Hess Road, adjoining the northwest intersection of the I-86 and State Route 19 intersection north of Belmont, in the southwest sector of the Town of Angelica, with the group having expressed repeated concerns about fire hazards and environmental impacts of such installations.
Several other county towns have or are in the process of enacting moratoriums on such projects to enable planning for such activities, an action the town says it is unable to do because it allowed a prior moratorium, enacted over a year-and-a-half ago, to expire, with Town Supervisor Girard Kelly also having said he is against a planning board due to his belief that it can stifle development.
It was reported at Monday night’s meeting that Angelica received over $346,000 in host community agreement fees for the second quarter of the year for allowing the landfill to be located within the town.