Chemtool Fire - 06/21/2021 @ 6:00 PM
Chemtool Fire Update
1. With the large majority of the fire under control, the response has shifted to address recovery and clean-up from the event.
2. Once the Chemtool, Inc. site is released by all firefighting agencies and state and federal investigators, Illinois EPA and U.S. EPA will lead regulatory oversight of the site remediation efforts.
3. The remaining fire suppression operation is now led by US Fire Pump and Lubrizol.
4. Clean-up operations continue to include monitoring of air and water quality.
5. U.S. EPA continues to conduct stationary and roaming air monitoring in the area. Air quality remains stable. Data from the EPA’s Air Monitoring can be found at provided EPA link.
6. The Illinois EPA continues water quality analysis of the Rock River and area groundwater. Additional sampling is being determined. Water samples have been collected from the Rock River, sentinel wells, waste water treatment plants, sanitation lines on site, and water runoff from fire suppression. Sampling location maps are currently available on Illinois EPA’s Chemtool webpage. Final sampling data will also be published on this page.
7. Illinois EPA also collected soil and wipe samples throughout the one-mile radius area. Preliminary results of initial samples indicate no detection of semivolatile organic compounds. Final sampling data will be published on Illinois EPA’s Chemtool webpage. Health interpretations of results collected on private property will be provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health directly to property owners.
8. Currently, all wastewater from the site is being collected and characterized for disposal, before being shipped to an appropriate facility.
9. Damage assessment teams will begin damage assessments in the one-mile radius around Chemtool on Tuesday morning. Local agencies involved include Laborer’s Disaster Response Teams, Team Rubicon, Christopher Burke Engineering, and multiple local personnel from Rockford, Rockton, and other communities. Local damage assessment teams will be joined by IEMA and supported by MABAS .
10. Residents with debris from the fire are encouraged to contact Clean Harbors at 877-552-8942 for assistance with removal.