August
13 Update
Firefighting
activity has ceased. The Madison Fire Department will address any potential hot
spots or flare-ups as needed. EPA stopped all air monitoring and sampling and left the site.
August
12 Update
EPA
continues to provide air monitoring and sampling at the scene and in the
communities surrounding the facility as the local fire department addresses fire
flare-ups while moving smoldering material. Yesterday, EPA air monitoring
showed elevated particulate readings as flare-ups occurred.
August
11 Update
The
Madison Fire Department continues to address hot spots and flare ups at the
site. EPA is on-site and will continue to provide air monitoring and sampling
at the scene and in the communities surrounding the fire.
The
Madison Police Department has lifted the shelter-in-place order.
Background
At
10:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 10, 2022, a warehouse fire broke out at the
Interco Metaltronics Recycling Facility located at 10 Fox Industrial Drive in
Madison, Illinois. The warehouse was reported to contain unknown amounts of
nonferrous metals, complex alloys, metallic powder, Lithium-ion batteries, and
eScrap consisting of computer parts. Multiple firefighting units
responded from Illinois and Missouri to battle the fire. The Madison Police
Department issued a shelter-in-place order for residents within a 1.5-mile
radius. At the request of local agencies and Illinois EPA, EPA responded
on-site in the morning of August 10 to provide air monitoring support that
began late afternoon/early evening. Illinois EPA is monitoring water runoff and
assessing the storm drains surrounding the site.
Upon
arrival, EPA began roving air monitoring and stationary air sampling for
metals. EPA also set up three stationary air monitoring/sampling stations
within the communities surrounding the facility.