Federal regulators have shut down the Vineyard Wind Farm after a turbine failed and “sharp fiberglass fragments” washed ashore.

NANTUCKET — The federal government has ordered the Vineyard Wind Farm closed until further notice due to a turbine blade failure this week.

Several beaches were closed Tuesday as crews worked to clean up “large floating debris and fiberglass fragments” from broken wind turbines Blade off Martha’s Vineyard Coast.

Six beaches south of Nantucket have been closed to swimming due to debris washed ashore.

“You can walk on the beaches, but we highly recommend wearing shoes because there are sharp fiberglass shards and debris on the beaches,” a Nantucket port official said.

Vineyard Wind operations have been discontinued.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement announced a halt to all operations until further notice.

“A team of EHS experts is on site working closely with Vineyard Wind to analyse the cause of the incident and next steps,” the agency said in a statement.

Vineyards Wind Turbine Separators

the Winds of generosity Wind turbines suffered damage to their blades on Saturday evening. No one was injured, but large pieces of the blades began to fall on beaches in the area in the days that followed.

“Vineyard Wind is fully committed to the rapid and safe recovery of all wrecks, with a steadfast focus on community safety and environmental protection,” Vineyard Wind said in a statement. “As part of its immediate action plan, Vineyard Wind has reached out to Nantucket officials to inform them of the wreckage and recovery efforts on the island’s south-facing shores.”

Crews could be seen Tuesday afternoon removing fiberglass pieces from the beach.

Vineyard Wind says the cause of the break is not yet known. According to meteorologist Jacob Wyckoff of WPZ, the area has seen some severe weather, including high winds and lightning.

General Electric, the manufacturer of the turbines and blades and the contractor responsible for the installation, will conduct a root cause analysis of the incident.

Nantucket beaches closed for cleanup

Vineyard Wind said it sent two four-person rescue teams to Nantucket to remove the wreckage.

The turbine blades are made of non-toxic fiberglass. The fragments can vary in size and are usually green or white.

While fiberglass is not dangerous to people or the environment, beachgoers should not pick up the debris themselves, Vineyard Wind said.