Date: March 28, 2021
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho (USA)
Address: 2320 Orchard Drive East, 83301
Type: Potential Dust Explosion
Fuel: Sugar Dust
Industry: Sugar Beet Processing (Food Processing)
Equipment: Unknown
Company: Amalgamated Sugar
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to its website, Amalgamated Sugar is America’s second-largest manufacturer of sugar from sugar beets. It was founded in 1902 and operates three sugar processing plants in Idaho and a brown sugar plant in Oregon. Total yield is up to 2.2 billion pounds of sugar each year.
Incident Description:
On March 29, 2021, Powder & Bulk Solids reported a fire at a sugar beet processing plant in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Several fire departments responded after the incident was called in at 7:45 p.m. On arrival, they saw smoke coming out of a building used to dry and store sugar beet pellets. Over 50 fire and EMS personnel were on the scene, many of whom worked overnight to douse the flames.
An excavator and two loaders from the company removed the contents of the warehouse to help extinguish the fire.
No injuries were reported.
OSHA Inspections:
An establishment search turned up five OSHA inspections for this location. One, dated November 30, 2017, was flagged for combustible dust.
Sources:
Powder & Bulk Solids
