Date: October 19, 2018
Location: Rapho Township, Pennsylvania (USA)
Address: 1106 Newcomer Road, 17552
Type: Dust Fire
Fuel: Grain Dust
Industry: Grain Processing (Agriculture)
Equipment: Grain Dryer
Company: M & R Grains
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: $500,000
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to its listing on Ag (Agriculture) Map, M & R Grains is a grain dealer specializing in corn, soybeans, wheat, and barley. It sells grain products in addition to roasted flaked corn, roasted whole soybeans, roasted flaked soybeans, roasted ground soybeans, and roasted soybits.
Incident Description:
On October 19, 2018, Lancaster Online reported a fire at a grain roasting facility in Rapho Township, Pennsylvania. The building collapsed and was declared a total loss, with damage estimated at $500,000.
Fire crews contained the fire to the building where it started and got it under control within an hour. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Previous Incidents:
On November 5, 2009, Lancaster Online reported an early-morning fire at the M & R Grains facility. According to the Mount Joy third assistant chief, it was believed to have started when a metal bin used for drying corn malfunctioned. The unit over-dried the corn, which then ignited in the 30’ x 20’ metal bin containing about 60,000 bushels of corn.
When fire crews arrived, the bin had already started to buckle, with the sides coming apart at the seams. Flames could be seen inside the upper portion of the structure. Although the fire was declared under control within 90 minutes, the firefighters spent hours unloading the bin and watering down the corn.
Damage to the corn and the structure was estimated at $65,000. There were no reported injuries.
Sources:
Lancaster Online (2018)
Lancaster Online (2009)
