Coldwater Creek suspected cancers are relentless to their victims

What if there was a fire lurking beneath the surface? What if this fire was 600 ft. away from toxic waste? What if this was your community?

By: McKaylah Bell

This is the reality for Florissant and Bridgeton, Missouri. The fire is burning underground in the landfill very close to the toxic waste of cold water creek. What happens if they collide?

According to Karen Nickle, an activist who is co-founder of the group, Westlake Moms, who have been working on bringing to light the atrocities of the effects of cold water creek and cleaning it up, St. Louis has an emergency evacuation plan for St. Louis and St. Charles County. Nickle sent over the evacuation plan, in the purpose of the plan is to “ save lives in the event of a catastrophic event at the West Lake Landfill”. It also details that the situation at hand that there is…

“Potential for radioactive fallout to be released in the smoke plume and spread throughout the region”.

The concern is, are resources for people who do not have the financial or physical capabilities to be able to evacuate. In the plan it details how it will be coordinated that people who have nowhere to go will be sheltered even if it is in another city, it also says that food, transportation, etc will be provided for people who need those things. Although all of this is in place, it also states that no one will be forced from their home.

As we have seen with other catastrophes, such as hurricanes, people get left behind, so how is it ensured that everyone will get asylum? It is also concerning that all 3 people that I interviewed have said that a good amount of people living in both of these areas are unaware of the severity of the situation.

As a North County resident myself this is the first I have heard of the evacuation plan, and the first time I have heard about the fire. The information is not actively being broadcasted for the public to know. The evacuation plan states that every form of alert will go out in the event anything happens, loud police vehicle speakers, text alerts, highway signs, National Weather service, etc. By then it is too late, what can be done.