As the ash settles in Fredericktown, Missouri, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ramped up its vigilance on air quality, responding with increased monitoring efforts after a significant fire at the Critical Mineral Recovery plant. The blaze, which broke out on Wednesday, prompted the shuttering of local schools yesterday amid concerns for community safety—a prudent step underscored by the presence of potential toxins.
Officials have identified volatile organic compounds, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, and particulate matter as the primary targets of the air quality assessments. An EPA spokesman related, "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," FOX 2 reported. These efforts come in the wake of noticeable odors and the disturbing sight of local residents collecting dead fish from a creek possibly affected by fallout from the fire.
School officials, acting on an abundance of caution, decided to preemptively close schools, a move that echoes broader anxieties about air safety in the aftermath of such industrial incidents. The potential for airborne contaminants has led Madison County Sheriff Katy McCutcheon to advise residents to limit outdoor exposure. "The EPA, the Missouri DNR, environmental experts, and CMR wanted to act out of an abundance of caution and have children and other in the community put in a position to not to be exposed to a potential flair up," Al Watkins, an attorney for Critical Mineral Recovery, told 5 On Your Side.
While the smoke from the facility’s remains has diminished, residents are still encouraged to stay clear of any smoke plumes, with the EPA confirming the detection of one chemical above action levels immediately north of the site on the day of the fire, as KFVS 12 reports. Amid these concerns, some in the community like Shirley Tyrrell remain uncertain, expressing their unease: "I opened the door and the door actually was blowing back at me. I couldn't get out the door and I saw this black smoke and I'm like, oh my god," Tyrrell recounted her experience on 5 On Your Side.
