FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. – On Friday, two days after a massive fire at a battery processing plant, concerns continued to grow for Fredericktown residents. The school district shut down school for the day while state and federal agencies tested air quality in the community.
The Environmental Protection Agency, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service responded to Fredericktown following Wednesday’s fire at the Critical Mineral Recovery plant.
EPA officials said will continue to monitor the air quality in the area.
“We’re looking at a few things primarily volatile organic compounds. Hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen fluoride, and we’re also taking readings for a particulate matter as well,” said Kellen Ashford.
Fredericktown School District officials shut down school Friday, noting the decision was made out of an abundance of caution due to the odor associated with the fire.
One resident who lives down the street from the plant noticed people out collecting dead fish from the creek on their property Friday.
“My dad found a conservation agent down here and said something about it to him, and he just said, ‘Well, you probably shouldn’t be doing that, letting your cows drink out of it.’ That’s kind of worrying us a little bit,” said Logan Winkelman.
The EPA shared the following statement with FOX 2 on Friday over its latest response:
EPA Region 7 continues to support state and local agencies on-scene at the Critical Mineral Recovery facility fire in Fredericktown, Missouri.
EPA is increasing its mobile and stationary air monitoring efforts in the community. This information is being relayed to the Incident Commander – the Fire Chief for Fredericktown Fire Department – for decision-making purposes. EPA is conducting 24-hour air monitoring to detect volatile organic compounds; hydrogen fluoride; hydrogen sulfide; carbon monoxide; lower explosive limit; and particulate matter. EPA’s air monitoring detected one exceedance above EPA’s action levels for particulate matter in the evacuation zone immediately north of the fire during the initial firefighting efforts on Wednesday, Oct. 30, but has not detected any exceedances since.
EPA encourages members of the community to keep their windows closed and turn off their air conditioners.
While the smoke from the remaining fire has decreased since the initial fire and firefighting efforts, EPA encourages individuals to avoid any plumes of smoke from this fire.
EPA will continue to coordinate with local response agencies, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Meanwhile, the decision to close schools on Friday, Nov. 1, was made by the Superintendent out of an abundance of caution due to the odor associated with this fire in the community. EPA is conducting 24-hour air monitoring at the school.