Date: July 15, 2022
Location: Washington, Indiana (USA)
Address: 1510 W. CR 450 N, 46746
Type: Dust Fire
Fuel: Grain Dust
Industry: Grain Processing (Agriculture)
Equipment: Grain Leg
Company: Perdue Farms
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Perdue Farms is a family-run business with operations across the globe. It was established in 1920 and is headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland. It is the parent company of Perdue Foods, which is a major chicken, turkey, and pork processing company and Perdue AgriBusiness, which ranks among the top United States grain companies. Perdue Farms has 2016 annual sales of $6.7 billion.
Incident Description:
On July 15, 2022, the Times-Herald reported a fire at an agricultural facility in Washington, Indiana.
Firefighters were called at 9:46 a.m. after someone noticed smoke showing at the top of one of the grain legs that runs the grain into the bin. When they arrived, they realized the smoke was coming out about 145 feet in the air, so they got their tower truck out and used it to fight the fire.
Firefighters requested additional manpower and water within 12 minutes of receiving the first call, as two of the grain legs got hot enough to buckle a bit. They were able to contain the fire to the grain leg where they believe the blaze began.
“The belt that moves the grain to the top appeared to get jammed somehow,” said one firefighter. “The motor continued to run and the belt caught on fire. That belt that runs inside that grain leg is a composite rubber and silicone product with steel belts. That burned through at one point. All of this stuff, the belt and the grain were burning. Of course, fire travels upward and it burned up to two-thirds to the top.”
The five fire departments and 30 firefighters were on the scene for more than five hours. Two firefighters were overcome by the heat. Ambulance personnel treated them at the scene.
No injuries were reported.
Sources:
Times-Herald
