Portions of Morristown library could reopen by August; Mayor to call for state investigation

Sections of the blast-damaged Morristown & Township Library could reopen by late August, an insurance adjuster told the Morristown council tonight.

Asbestos removal from the library–closed since an explosion buckled concrete floors on May 3–is scheduled from June 28 until July 20. Once that cleanup is complete, the 1933, 2003 and 2006 sections of the building might be reopened, said Ross Koch, an adjuster for the Travelers Companies Inc.

But it’s unclear when the 1917 wing, which sustained extensive damage when its basement exploded, will be restored.  The cause of the blast still remains an open question. While the local electric and gas companies have pledged to cooperate in the investigation, Mayor Tim Dougherty said he will press state Sen. Anthony Bucco for an independent probe by the state Board of Public Utilities.

“I didn’t hear anything” new tonight, the Mayor said after presentations by Jersey Central Power & Light and Travelers representatives. He expressed disappointment that Public Service Electric & Gas, citing legal concerns, declined his request to appear before the council. Without a BPU investigation, he said, the town may need to hire its own experts to cut through the legal tangle that is likely to develop.

“We’ve got to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” said the Mayor.  An explosion rocked the library once before, in 1994. Who bore responsibility for that incident also is shrouded in mystery.

JCP&L spokesman Ron Morano said he did not have any records pertaining to the 1994 explosion, noting that the utility has undergone two mergers since then.

Malfunctions in JCP&L’s underground network have been causing manhole covers to pop in Morristown with alarming regularity, and the utility has acknowledged a problem occurred beneath Miller Road, near the library, before the basement blew up in May.

Yet JCP&L has contended a “combustible gas” is the likely suspect, and a customer service representative reiterated the utility’s stance before the council tonight.

“At this time, we don’t see a connection between our equipment and the explosion,” said JCP&L’s Beth Ard.

PSE&G has denied that gas caused the blast.

Because of asbestos hazards, however, investigators have had limited access to the library so far. JCP&L experts have made just three visits, including one today, Beth said.

A gas expert and an explosives expert have been hired, she said. Testing began today on equipment that contained the cable that fed power to the library, she told the council.

The utility met last week with the BPU, and a “network expert” will survey the underground electrical system next week, she said.  JCP&L is asking the Electric Power Research Institute, a research arm of the power industry, to suggest best practices going forward.

“We know all utilities have a problem with a network (underground) system,” Beth told the council. “There are a lot of different things that utilities try, different than we do, and we will try and come up with a solution.”

Ron Morano of JCP&L said the utility is working to restore power to the library for a partial re-opening this summer.  Right now a generator is providing electricity, and the building has water, said Library Board President Nancy Bangiola. Library staffers are working from locations across Morristown, Whippany and Parsippany.

Nancy said she hopes the 2006 wing is back in business by Labor Day. Varying degrees of asbestos cleanup are required, from a light cleaning to full “abatement” in one basement room. “Everything in the room must go,” right down to the plaster, she said.

Quick action by alert librarians evacuated the place moments before the 9 a.m. explosion, averting almost certain tragedy, according to Nancy, who was shocked by the destruction she saw during a tour of the blast area.

Attention has not yet focused on repairing the structural damage, she said.

“People in there now are concerned with preserving evidence in the explosion,” she said.

The library’s insurance coverage is excellent, Nancy stressed. What’s under discussion, she said, is whether the policy will pay for new, improved power systems at the library–or merely cover replacement of prior systems.

JCP&L’s Ron Morano said the utility shares the town’s frustrations about the library shutdown.

“We’re part of the community,” he said. “We live here. We work here. We shop here. We want to get the library back in service.”