EPA Region 7, in coordination with the Fredericktown Fire Department and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR), has demobilized from the scene of the Critical Mineral Recovery (CMR) fire in Fredericktown, Missouri.

EPA Region 7 supported the response in Fredericktown since Wednesday, Oct. 30, after receiving a Request for Federal Assistance (RFA) from MoDNR to perform perimeter and community air monitoring support.

EPA’s fixed location air monitoring data summary tables are available in the Documents section. Roving air monitoring data and additional fixed air monitoring data will be uploaded to the Documents section when they are available.

EPA's operational updates are archived and available on the Notices page.

EPA encourages anyone with questions with the ongoing response at the scene of the fire in Fredericktown to contact MoDNR and CMR. Questions about EPA’s role in the response from Oct. 30 to Nov. 13 should be directed to EPA’s Public Information Officer.

EPA Region 7 remains on-scene in Fredericktown, Missouri to assist the Fredericktown Fire Department and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) in the response to the fire at the Critical Mineral Recovery facility.

EPA has released a new map of its fixed air monitoring stations (AS) and mobile monitoring points (RS) in Fredericktown.

EPA has also released four air monitoring summary tables for fixed air monitoring stations. These tables include information such as:

• The instruments used;
• Analytes, such as hydrogen fluoride and particulate matter;
• Action level exceedances;
• Number of readings the instruments took;
• Number of detections by the instruments;
• Concentration ranges; the 24-hour time-weighted average; and,
• The preliminary notification level in which EPA alerts the Fredericktown Fire Department.

Roving air monitoring data is not included in these and will be summarized at a later date.

EPA and the coordinating agencies continue to receive questions on surface water, groundwater, and drinking water. While MoDNR is the lead agency in respect to water, EPA and MoDNR have answered questions on the response’s plans to collect samples and that information is available on EPA’s Frequently Asked Questions.

EPA Region 7 continues to assist the Fredericktown Fire Department and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) on-scene in Fredericktown, Missouri responding to the Critical Mineral Recovery fire that occurred on Wednesday, Oct. 30.

EPA and EPA’s Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contractors continue to monitor the air for chemical compounds and particulate matter in Fredericktown and are gathering air samples to perform laboratory analysis. The list of contaminants EPA is monitoring and gathering samples for was shared in Operational Update #3.

EPA is aware of many community members’ questions received on our Facebook posts and has worked with the Fredericktown Fire Department and MoDNR to create a “Frequently Asked Question” guide.

EPA’s On-Scene Coordinator leading EPA’s support of this response is also communicating air monitoring data and odors to the Fredericktown Superintendent who will use this information to make decisions on school status for the day. Please continue to follow the Superintendent’s direction regarding the status of the schools.

EPA Region 7 remains active in Fredericktown, Missouri performing 24-hour mobile and fixed-location air monitoring. In addition to air monitoring, EPA and EPA contractors are collecting air samples for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. 

Air monitoring and air sampling data is being relayed to the Fredericktown Fire Department Chief, the Incident Commander, for decision-making purposes related to suppressing the remaining hotspots.

EPA’s website for the response is now available at: https://response.epa.gov/cmrfire. EPA is aware that the community is interested in air monitoring locations, and a map of EPA air monitoring locations is available at this page.

EPA will also use this page to communicate time-weighted averages of air monitoring results.

EPA continues to have occasional detections of hydrogen fluoride and elevated particulate matter (PM2.5). These detections are below action levels and are typically associated with flare-ups during the continued hotspot suppression activities at the Critical Mineral Recovery facility. EPA is coordinating with and sharing air monitoring data with contractors hired by Critical Mineral Recovery.

All air monitoring detections are communicated to the Fredericktown Fire Department.

EPA Region 7 continues to support state and local agencies on-scene following a fire at the Critical Mineral Recovery facility in Fredericktown, Missouri.

Residents of Fredericktown will notice an increased EPA presence and EPA air monitoring equipment around the scene of the fire. EPA has two teams performing mobile air monitoring around the scene, 24 hours a day. EPA has also expanded its fixed air monitoring stations.

EPA’s air monitoring efforts are being conducted to detect volatile organic compounds; hydrogen fluoride; hydrogen sulfide; carbon monoxide; lower explosive limit; and particulate matter. 

EPA is starting to collect air samples for heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Air monitoring and air sampling data is being relayed to the Fredericktown Fire Department Chief (the Incident Commander) for decision-making purposes.

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 did not detect any additional exceedances as of the release of the Friday, Nov. 1 desk statement.

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.

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.

After integrating into the Incident Command for the response the Fredericktown Fire Chief, serving as the Incident Commander, requested EPA to perform roving air monitoring. After reviewing the results of air monitoring, the Fire Chief made the decision to maintain the evacuation zone established on Thursday, Oct. 30. 

As of 1100 on Thursday, Oct. 31, EPA was conducting roving and stationary air monitoring under the direction of the Incident Commander. 

EPA will share air monitoring results with the Incident Command. If air monitoring results exceed EPA’s action levels, that will be relayed to the public.

This is a dynamic situation and EPA will provide updates as appropriate through news releases and social media.

EPA encourages local residents to follow the orders of local emergency personnel in regard to the evacuation. 

EPA and EPA contractors for the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) arrived on-scene late in the evening and integrated into the response's incident command structure.

The facility fire was ongoing but greatly reduced due to firefighting actions. EPA START teams initiated mobile air monitoring downwind of the facility in the general area of the evacuation zone. EPA START teams conducted air monitoring for volatile organic compounds; hydrogen fluoride; hydrogen sulfide; carbon monoxide; oxygen; lower explosive limit; and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10).

EPA contractors identified that smoke was impacting the residential neighborhood immediately north of the facility with one confirmed reading of hydrogen fluoride and particulate matter readings above background levels. EPA communicated the observations to the Fredericktown Fire Chief.