Richmond, Indiana, facility fire

Richmond, Indiana facility fire
Smoke from the fire as viewed from the Walk of Fame just south of the Starr–Gennett building
Date(s)	April 11–16, 2023[a]
Location	Richmond, Indiana, United States
Coordinates	39°50′15″N 84°54′20″W / 39.83750°N 84.90556°W / 39.83750; -84.90556
Impacts
Non-fatal injuries	2 firefighters
Ignition
Cause	Semi-trailer catching on fire
Map
Location of Richmond facility fire in Indiana

On the afternoon of April 11, 2023, a large-scale industrial fire impacted a recycling processing facility and its surrounding area in Richmond, Indiana, United States. The facility, a former industrial plant, had already been designated as a fire hazard after inflammable materials were located near the property line of the building; an excessive amount of plastic was stored at the facility as well. Additionally, the building had structural problems and numerous roof leaks, and one of the facility buildings did not have a fire sprinkler.

The fire began after a semi-trailer carrying plastic materials behind the building became engulfed in flames, prompting response from emergency management agencies, including the Indiana State Police. An evacuation was ordered for nearly 2,000 people outside of the facility fire area, and a car show was postponed in Preble County, Ohio, after debris from the fire was found there. Two firefighters sustained injuries, including one who injured his ankle after a fall down a ravine. The fire was contained on April 16, six days after it started. In its aftermath, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Indiana Department of Environmental Management evaluated hazards from the facility fire, and the former agency took samples from the fire in May 2023 that contained asbestos, benzene, and lead.

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