FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois attorney general is accusing a coal mine operator of polluting the area with toxic foam to try to stop an underground fire.

“Exposure to such chemicals can cause long-lasting damage to the environment and poses a serious risk to public health,” Kwame Raoul said.

Raoul’s lawsuit in Franklin County alleges that the Sugar Camp mine in August used firefighting foam containing PFAS compounds. There was no immediate comment from the owner, Foresight Energy.

The compounds are called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time. They have been linked to a variety of health problems.

State environmental regulators received complaints about foam in a farm ditch and a tributary to Akin Creek near the mine. The mine is 110 miles southeast of St. Louis.

The mine’s wastewater permit doesn’t allow it to discharge PFAS, the state said.

“It is critical that the state holds polluters accountable when violations occur in order to protect local watersheds and the health of nearby communities,” said Andrew Rehn, water resources engineer with Prairie Rivers Network, an advocacy group.