Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) State On-Scene Coordinators were notified at 0935 hours on 11/20/07 by MDNRs Southeast Regional Office (SERO) of a potential mercury spill at a residential property near county road #275 in Madison County, Fredericktown, MO which had occurred on 11/19/07. SERO was notified by a private citizen and resident at the house, who reported that a child had broken a candy thermometer. The child was cut by the broken glass and the caller reported that they had called the Poison Control Center for medical advice. The responsible party was not sure if the thermometer contained mercury or if any was spilled, but reported that the thermometer was broken over carpet. SOSC Josh Wilkerson advised the responsible party to containerize the glassware, ventilate the room, and avoid contact with the potentially effected area. The duty officer corresponded with SOSC Adam Vrabec and Josh Wilkerson to arrange visiting the residence with mercury monitoring equipment.
The MDNR spill number for this incident is 0711200935MEL.
During the afternoon of 11/20/2007, Heath Smith, EPA FOSC, and MDNR SOSC Wilkerson conducted a site visit at the residence. Mercury vapor levels were not detected above background inside the house, neither near the location of the broken thermometer nor in the container which held the broken thermometer. A visual inspection of the thermometer verified that it was a non-mercury thermometer.
No further action is planned or expected regarding this incident.
