Date: April 25, 2018
Location: Temple, Texas (USA)
Address: 2 East Avenue D, 76504
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Grain Dust
Industry: Animal Feed (Food Processing)
Equipment: Grain Silo, Bearing, Grain Elevator
Company: Jupe Feeds, Inc.
Previous Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
Powder & Bulk Solids reported that Jupe Feeds Inc. is operated by Jupe Mills of San Antonio, a producer of feed for livestock and wildlife sold under the Jupe Feed and Wendland’s Feed brands.
According to the company website, The Jupe family purchased the Wendland mill in Temple in 1994 after outgrowing the facility they’d been using since 1935. The Jupes still manufacture under the Wendland’s name, but also have their own line called Jupe Feeds which is distributed from their San Antonio locations.
The company custom mixes, stocks and delivers competitively priced feeds directly to customers by the ton. They also keep customers up to date with the latest advice in healthy animal feeding.
Description of Grain Silo Explosion:
On April 25, 2018, CenTexProud reported a suspected grain dust explosion had occurred that day in a feed milling and grain storage facility in Temple, Texas.
A spokesman said the emergency call came in at 12:32 pm with details of a possible explosion. Residents in the general area of Temple around Jupe Feed at 405 South 2nd street reported hearing a loud “boom.”
Fire personnel found no fire and said that it was possible that a quantity of grain dust in a silo had ignited. There appeared to be no damage. Fire crews cleared the scene in a short time. No injuries were reported and the facility was not evacuated during the incident.
On April 29, Powder & Bulk Solids reported Temple Fire & Rescue as saying in a statement that they had located evidence of an overheated bearing. The bearing had been cooled with water. They found no evidence of fire, they said, but the explosion had damaged a section of a grain elevator located outside of the building.
It was reported that the same location was the scene of a major grain explosion in the late 1970’s, but at that time it was operating under a different name. No further details could be found about this incident.
Sources:
CenTexProud
Feed & Grain
Powder & Bulk Solids
