Crime & Safety

Fire Expert: Landfill Fire + West Lake Nuclear Waste = Potentially Tragic Ending

Pattonville Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Matt LaVanchy said the nuclear waste at West Lake Landfill needs to go.

A fire has been brewing for quite some time and it's moving towards an volatile pile of illegally dumped radioactive material.

Pattonville Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Matt LaVanchy said the nuclear waste at West Lake Landfill needs to go.

He told KMOX his department monitors an underground fire less than 1,000 feet away from West Lake and nearby Bridgeton landfill. The fire is moving towards the nuclear waste and officials are scrambling to find a solution to stop it before it reaches the radioactive contaminants.

“If that fire ever gets to that radioactive material, which I’m not saying is going to happen, but there’s a potential there for something very tragic to happen in this area," he said.

LaVancy said talk needs to turn into action because the situation isn't being taken as seriously as it should be, ...there’s a lot of innocent people in this area,” he said.

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster reached a preliminary agreement with Republic Services, the owner of Bridgeton and West Lake Landfills, in May.

The agreement called for the company to finish construction work to cap on the south quarry of Bridgeton Landfill. It also calls for temporary relocation of residents of Spanish Village, Terrisan Reste Mobile Home Park and some residences of the Carrollton Village Condominimums and reimbursement of state agencies for ongoing monitoring and sampling efforts.

Now a trench needs to be dug to create a fire break so it doesn't reach West Lake and the nuclear contaminants. But that doesn't mean another fire can't start at the Bridegton landfill and create another problem. The long term solution residents are calling for is to remove  nuclear waste.

The same nuclear contaminants have been removed from nearby areas throughout the past two decadee, which leaves those living near it wondering why the fight to keep it in the landfill is so aggressive.

Are you just now finding out about this issue? If you want support from your neighbors check out the West Lake Landfill Page and Coldwater Creek Just the Facts Please.

For history on how radioactive waste came to be in the St. Louis area click here.

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