Richmond Toxic Fire: Cleanup nearing completion, EPA gives site back to city
Almost a year after a toxic fire prompted a large environmental cleanup in Richmond, Indiana, officials announced their efforts are nearing completion.
>>RELATED: Richmond Toxic Fire: Residents concerned about how long cleanup process will take
On Tuesday, April 11, 2023, two warehouses storing a large amount of recycled plastics caught fire in Richmond, News Center 7 previously reported.
All residents within a half mile of the fire were asked to evacuate due to the thick black smoke.
>>RELATED: Richmond Toxic Fire: ‘Smoke is definitely toxic;’ Carcinogenic chemicals found in testing
Since the fire, multiple residents have told News Center 7 they are concerned for their health.
The Indiana Department of Emergency Management requested assistance from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just after the fire was extinguished.
>>RELATED: Richmond Toxic Fire: EPA shares debris sample results
The EPA sampled debris found in the community and determined it contained asbestos, according to a statement from the EPA.
Since then, the agency has been working on a $2.8 million cleanup of hazardous waste.
>>RELATED: I-TEAM: EPA begins multi-million dollar cleanup at toxic Richmond fire site
As of March 20, the EPA announced that it finished cleaning up the asbestos-containing materials and would remove its equipment and personnel in the following days.
This week, the EPA plans to release the site back to the city so they can complete a non-hazardous cleanup.
We will continue to follow this story.
