Public Notice: Morton Ave Warehouse Administrative Record Documents Available

Summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established an administrative record for the Morton Ave Warehouse in Evansville, Indiana. The administrative record establishes public access to documents that outlines cleanup work being done at the site.

The administrative record can be found online at response.epa webpage.

Site Background

In February 2025, after a fire damaged most of the Morton Avenue Warehouse, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management requested EPA assistance to assess debris for asbestos-containing material, and to further investigate the site. EPA evaluated the site in April and June of 2025, confirming the presence of asbestos-containing material in debris as well as PCB-contaminated sediment in storm sewer catch basins.

The former Morton Avenue Warehouse operated in a variety of capacities since the early 1900s. The property was initially created as a production facility for the Hercules Buggy Company, making vehicle bodies for commercial use. From the 1920s to the 1950s, the facility operated as Servel Electrolux manufacturing refrigerators, and during the World War 2, assisted in the war effort by manufacturing parts for P-47 aircraft. The facility changed ownership in the late 1950s, but continued manufacturing refrigerators until the 1970s, where it was eventually converted to a warehousing business.

During cleanup work, EPA will conduct continuous air monitoring and dust suppression to prevent contamination from going off-site. Cleanup work will begin May 4, 2026 and is projected to last through the summer.