Date: October 9, 2018
Location: Monroe, Wisconsin (USA)
Address: 820 West 17th Street, 53566
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Grain Dust
Industry: Ethanol Production
Equipment: Grain Silo
Company: Badger State Ethanol
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Badger State Ethanol was established in Monroe, Wisconsin in May 2000. Construction of the plant started in July of 2001 and was completed in October of 2002 with the plant startup right after that. The company’s principal markets are petroleum terminals in Wisconsin, Illinois and the Upper Midwest.
Incident Description:
On October 9, 2018, APNews reported an explosion in a grain silo at an ethanol plant in Monroe, Wisconsin. The silo, which can hold up to 2,200 tons, was 40% full of ground corn when the incident occurred shortly before 6:00 a.m. There were about eight workers in the plant at the time, but they were quickly evacuated.
Monroe firefighters soon arrived. There was no fire inside the silo, but there was a lot of heat to contend with, according to the Monroe fire chief.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the explosion is under investigation. According to WKOW News, law enforcement is using a crane and a drone to assess the damage.
Previous Incidents:
On October 9, 2018, the Wisconsin State Journal reported that a fire in the ductwork took place at the plant in April 2014, but nobody was injured.
OSHA Inspections:
An establishment search turned up one OSHA inspection for Badger State Ethanol in 2014. This incident was flagged for combustible dust.
Sources:
APNews
WKOW News
Wisconsin State Journal
