Date: May 2, 2019
Location: Kearney, Nebraska (USA)
Address: 2610 Grand Avenue, 68847
Type: Dust Fire
Fuel: Grain Dust
Industry: Grain Processing (Agriculture)
Equipment: Grain Dryer
Company: Gavilon Grain
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: $26,000
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Gavilon Grain was founded in 1874 in Sioux City, Iowa as F.H. Peavey & Company. It offers grain storage and marketing services via over one hundred grain locations across the U.S., as well as numerous international origins and destinations strategically located on major railroads, rivers, and ports.
Incident Description:
On May 2, 2019, the Kearney Hub reported a fire at a grain elevator in Kearney, Nebraska.
When volunteer firefighters arrived shortly after 5:52 a.m., they found smoke and fire coming from a grain dryer at the north end of the facility. The dryer contained 4,000 bushels of corn and had several patches of burning corn inside.
The firefighters extinguished the flames using water from an aerial truck. The grain was then emptied from the dryer using trap doors at the bottom. Gas and electricity connections to the dryer were temporarily shut off as a safety precaution and the street in front of the facility was temporarily closed to allow for hoses to be laid from the fire hydrants.
The Assistant Fire Chief said that the incident was caused by uncirculated grain that overheated inside the dryer.
No injuries were reported. Damage was estimated at $26,000.
OSHA Inspections:
An establishment search turned up one OSHA inspection for Gavilon Grain at 2610 Grand Avenue in Kearney but it was not flagged for combustible dust.
Sources:
Kearney Hub
