By Tabitha Evan Moore, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

LYNCHBURG — By all accounts, it looked like the scene of a natural disaster. That’s the word from local officials as they gathered onsite on Tuesday morning to access the clean up necessary after a tank collapsed during testing at an anaerobic digester plant.

Around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, one of the three holding tanks at the 3 Rivers Energy Partner’s anaerobic digester otherwise known as Lynchburg Renewables collapsed spilling 2.2 million gallons of water across Goodbranch Road. Local first responders immediately responded to the scene. There were no injuries. 

According to one local official, during the test, the bottom ring of the tank failed, causing it to impode. At least one nearby tank was also damaged. 

{EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is being made available free to all readers as a public service. This is an ongoing story and we will post updates as we get them.}

“It looks like a tornado came through,” Moore County Mayor Sloan Stewart stated. “It’s a muddy mess. One of the tanks is in the road and power lines are leaning.”

The force of the tank failure and water volume destroyed an on-site construction trailer and downed multiple trees in its path. Mud and debris remained across the road on Tuesday as both 3 Rivers and local officials looked to have a long day of clean up.

On Monday night, local officials closed Goodbranch Road at the second entrance to the high school while responding to the scene. It remained closed on Tuesday morning, and would likely remain closed for the majority of the day. 

“Duck River will need to come in and address power before any clean up can begin,” Mayor Stewart stated. “Houses from Harry Hill to Bakertown will likely be without power for a while.” 

According to one official, TEMA tested the water Monday night and confirmed that it was lake water. 3 Rivers confirmed that detail on Tuesday.

3 Rivers say they are committed to transparency

The Times reached out to 3 Rivers Energy Partners who told us that hydro testing, the procedure during which the incident occurred, is conducted as a critical safety measure to identify any structural weaknesses before full-scale operations commence.

“This step is essential in ensuring our operations meet the highest safety and quality standards,” representative Kegan Rivers told us.

They also explained that their immediate focus is on the safety of the surrounding community and ensuring that the facility is secure.

“We are currently working closely with local authorities and first responders, whose prompt actions were greatly appreciated,” Rivers told us. “Cleanup and repairs are already underway, and we are conducting a comprehensive investigation to identify the root cause of the failure.”

3 Rivers immediately responded to our request for a comment and stated that they are fully committed to transparency throughout this process.

“We will provide timely updates as more information becomes available. Our dedication to this operation and the well-being of our community remains unwavering,” Rivers added. •

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