Dec 23, 2024 Local News
Madison Co., Mo. (KFMO) - A large fire broke out Wednesday afternoon at Critical Mineral Recovery, a facility in Junction City located just outside Fredericktown. The fire, which triggered a first-alarm commercial response, required a massive mobilization of resources, with approximately 25 fire departments from across the region responding, including units as far north as Jefferson County and as far south as Cape Girardeau County. In addition to local fire departments, law enforcement agencies such as the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, and the Fredericktown Police Department assisted.
Critical Mineral Recovery is a lithium-ion battery recycling facility. The company had 65 employees working at the time the fire broke out. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the staff or emergency personnel.
The initial call came in to Madison County Dispatch at 1:37 p.m. Wednesday. Madison County Sheriff Katy McCutcheon reported that the company does not believe there is any hazardous exposure threat to the community, although residents to the north were temporarily evacuated as a precaution. Shelters were set up for those affected by the evacuation.
For public safety, Highway 72 was closed between Lincoln Drive and Route OO, allowing crews and water trucks to navigate the area safely. Sheriff McCutcheon noted that emergency protocols were planned in advance for this kind of situation, and these plans have guided response efforts.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and an investigation has been launched by the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Crews worked overnight to contain the blaze, and further updates on the cause and response efforts are expected as investigations progress.
