Richmond Toxic Fire: Cleanup nearing completion, EPA gives site back to city

RICHMOND, Indiana — Almost a year after a toxic fire prompted a large environmental cleanup in Richmond, Indiana, officials announced their efforts are nearing completion.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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