Final incident update on Critical Mineral Recovery facility

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. (KBSI) – The Fredericktown Fire Department gave a final incident update after a fire broke out at a battery facility in Fredericktown on October 30, 2024.

On November 13, 2024, the Fredericktown Fire department reports that the Critical Mineral Recovery facility is now considered extinguished.

The department has terminated its incident command at the site and has passed control of the scene back to the company.

According to the Fredericktown Fire Department over the past several days reconnaissance of the materials in the building has shown no increases in temperature and materials have cooled to regular temperatures. Clean-up and demolition of the facility remain needed and will continue be handled by an environmental remediation contractor. This contractor continues to collect and store water runoff captured over the past two weeks, which is being tested and treated.

They are working closely with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on a plan for the safe disposal of this water.

The DNR will continue environmental oversight during the cleanup.

With the fire extinguished and the emergency phase ending the EPA air monitoring mission has also stopped.

Those worried about air monitoring can check the EPA’s response website at https://response.epa.gov/cmrfire which will be available to view the past air monitoring data summary tables.

A reentry plan is being finalized for families evacuated due to the smoke plume.

A company specializing in environmental, health, and safety is testing affected homes, starting with those closest to the fire where residents have not yet returned.

Plans detailing the cleaning of these homes will be told to those affected.

For those who remain concerned but have not been directly affected by the smoke from the fire, there is a general cleaning guideline made by the Madison County Health Department and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.