Community Corner

Blasting at Quarry Catches Naugatuck Neighborhood Off Guard

Pamela Chesnas' house suddenly shook Thursday morning. Her neighbor's house did, too.

Despite the aftershock of an earthquake being felt throughout Connecticut last year, this was not tectonic activity. It didn't sound like thunder, either.

Plus, with rain steadily falling Thursday Chesnas didn't think conditions were good enough that blasting would be occurring at one of the two quarries near her home in the Maple Hill area.

Turns out it was blasting, at the Haynes Materials quarry on New Haven Road. And, ironically, it was the rain and heavy cloud cover that contributed to the louder than normal boom.

In an email to Patch, Chesnas wrote, "Nothing broke, just felt the house shake and heard a loud boom, but didn't really sound like thunder. It did feel like blasting nearby, just seemed odd in this weather. We are close to those quarries."  

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"People felt it on Osborn, Fawn Meadow (us), Horton Hill, and Morning Mist. My parents over by Millville did not hear or feel anything," she added. 

Gena Mann, the environmental safety coordinator for Haynes, confirmed the blasting took place this morning. 

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“It was definitely a little louder than people are used to,” she said, attributing that to the weather since the sound waves would have radiated out instead of up.

Mann said Haynes typically blasts at its Naugatuck quarry about once a month, on an as-needed basis.

Haynes Has A Blast Notification List

To give nearby residents a heads up when they will be blasting, Haynes maintains a blast notification list. It's primarily comprised of homes within a 1,500-foot radius of the quarry, Mann said.

But they can, and do, add people to it upon request. And the mode of communication is totally customizable. 

The way it works: Haynes sends out a 24-hour notice as well as a 1-hour notice prior to blasting. That message can come to someone via email, home phone and/or cell phone, whatever is preferred.

"We’re even open to the new technology of texting," Mann said. "It’s nice and easy.”

She added, "It is an actual person giving you that phone call” — not an automated message.

To have your number added to the list, call the Naugatuck quarry office at 203-729-3865.


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