Brendan Denison
The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill.
(TNS)
Apr. 9—GIBSON CITY — Crews returned to a Gibson City agricultural facility Tuesday morning, hours after firefighters worked to extinguish a grain fire that shut down the facility.
Gibson City Fire & Rescue Chief Bruce Kallal said crews were called out at 12:37 p.m. Monday for a fire in a grain dryer at the International Flavors & Fragrances facility at 124 S. Illinois Route 47. On scene, they found heavy smoke and considerable heat conditions coming from the dryer unit.
Dozens of firefighters from nine agencies worked through smoky conditions Monday, but the chief said the smoke didn’t climb too high throughout the city. However, according to a Facebook post from the Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley school district, the smoke trail prompted the district to keep all classes and students inside until regular dismissal after the haze reached all three of its school campuses.
Kallal said initially, they were unable to make any offensive attack on the fire, which was mostly inside and at the top of a metal structure at least 75 feet in height.
He said most of their attacks on the fire had to be made using two ladder trucks, which were hauled in by agencies from Paxton and Mahomet. In total, the chief counted 53 personnel and 21 firefighting apparatus brought to the scene.
“Those were our many tools in attacking the fire,” Kallal said, adding they brought it under control by 5 p.m. Monday. He said fire extended to a conveyor belt, but firefighters held it back from concrete grain silos using handheld hose lines.
While crews cleared the scene just after 7 p.m. that day, the fire chief said heavy equipment was headed back to the facility Tuesday morning to ensure any overhaul work was completed.
Kallal said the cause of the fire has not been determined, but the plant owners and its insurance company will investigate. He also said no facility employees or firefighters were hurt.
In a statement, IFF said the plant, which manufactures proteins and oils, immediately called first responders when the fire broke out and shut down plant operations.
The facility remained shut down Tuesday, though it was unclear how long the downtime would continue.
A damage estimate was unavailable Tuesday.
During the fire, Gibson City officials asked residents to avoid the area and conserve water if possible.
Kallal said firefighters were very well supported by the community, as they have been during previous fire events. He said water support was provided by Heritage FS, DCT Trucking and Mueller Farms. He said the American Red Cross also came to assist.
A local American Legion post, Murdock’s Place in Loda and Mark’s On First in Gibson City also provided food as the firefighters worked, the chief said.
“We’re very lucky we got a lot of support when these things happen,” Kallal said.
Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison
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