Momper Insulation chemical spill investigated by DNR

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a chemical spill that resulted in a fish kill in the aftermath of a Sunday morning's fire at Momper Insulation.

Conservation officers were notified Sunday about the fire. They then joined the Fort Wayne Fire Department and other emergency agencies that had already responded to the scene to combat the fire.

According to the DNR, Momper Insulation had toxic substances on its premises, and because of the fire the chemical migrated to nearby Junk Ditch.

Three Conservation Officers investigated the incident and found a large number of dead fish in the contaminated water of Junk Ditch. With the help of Fort Wayne City Utilities, the Conservation Officers were able to leverage construction of an earthen dam on Junk Ditch before it met up with the St. Marys River.

The DNR is working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in evaluating the extent of the impact on fish and wildlife.

At this time, the fish kill has been isolated between two dams, one down stream and one upstream from Junk Ditch, and no dead fish have been found outside of the area.

It is recommended to not go fishing between the two dams.  More tests are being done, inside the dams and outside of them.  However, officials believe they have contained the contaminated water.

Indiana Department of Emergency Management's on-scene coordinator, Richard Hackel said at a press conference Monday evening that firefighters had a basin built within two hours to prevent further contamination.

"The contamination levels in the ditch are higher than what we would normally allow in the state," said Hackel, "but they are not that highly elevated."

IDEM will now filter the water, pulling out the chemcials from the water.  It will then put the water back in Junk Ditch, once its reached an acceptable level.