FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. – Three days after a massive fire broke out at a battery processing plant in Fredericktown, Missouri, officials say the fire is now controlled.
As of Saturday, an expert fire suppression team is actively and “strategically suppressing” any remaining hotspots within the Critical Mineral Recovery facility. Smoke may continue to billow into the air as suppression efforts continue.
Officials have also launched a community hotline that residents can call for the latest updates in response and public safety. Call 314-576-9134 for updates.
CMR continues to work with local, state and federal officials in response to a massive five-alarm fire on Wednesday. The venue, a lithium ion battery recycling facility, went up in flames and sent heavy fumes into the air.
Some residents just north of the facility were ordered to evacuate, while others in Fredericktown have been strongly encouraged to shelter in place. The evacuation order, for those affected within applicable boundaries, still remains in place Saturday evening.
The EPA is also monitoring the air quality situation around the facility. No injuries to humans were reported from the fire itself, though there has been a rise in dead fish from waterways around the area.
The Critical Mineral Recovery is in Madison County, Missouri, about 90 miles south of St. Louis and 20 miles south of Farmington.