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SHELDON, Iowa (Iowa Media Wire) — The Sheldon Fire Company released additional details on Thursday about a feed mill fire that took place on Wednesday in Sheldon.
Fire officials said crews were called at about 2:20 p.m. on July 30 for a report of smoke coming from the roof vent with a possible fire at Hull Coop. Firefighters arrived to find light smoke.
Officials said the manager of the coop and two firefighters went inside to see if the fire was out. While in the building, smoke increased and became very turbulent. Everybody got out of the structure and no one was injured.
The Sheldon Fire Company said Sanborn and Boyden fire departments were called for manpower, while the ladder trucks from Orange City and Sioux Center were requested.
Officials said O’Brien County Emergency Management had a drone check the roof to see where the smoke and heat were escaping, which was the exhaust vent.
Fire officials said the fire was contained to a feed pellet cooler, exhaust system, and storage bin. The process of cooling the pellets as they were being taken from the load out and brought outside took a while.
The Fire Company said crews used about 3,000 gallons of water. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
On Thursday morning, the Coop issued a statement on the incident.
Around 2:00 p.m. on July 30th, a fire was reported at the Hull Coop Sheldon Feed Mill. The fire was quickly contained with the help of local emergency responders. We’re grateful to report that all Hull Coop personnel are safe and accounted for.
We sincerely thank the first responders for their quick and professional response.
Hull Coop staff are actively communicating with feed customers who may be affected by the incident and will continue to prioritize the needs of our membership as we work through the situation.
Statement from Hull Coop
PREVIOUS: More details have been released about the grain elevator fire that happened in Sheldon on Wednesday. No one was injured from the incident.
Sheldon Fire Company said at about 2:20 p.m. on July 30, firefighters were called to 105 West 8th Street for a fire at Hull Coop in Sheldon, Iowa.
When fire officials arrived, they saw light smoke coming out of the building.
The Fire Company said they met with the manager, and smoke increased from the top of the roof.
A group of firefighters looking for the cause of the smoke were pulled from the building.
Fire officials sent mutual aid from Sanborn and Boyden, along with requesting ladder trucks from Orange City and Sioux Center as a precaution.
Fire Chief Brad Hindt spoke to Iowa Media Wire 9 about what may have caused the fire.
“It’s something in the pellet machine. You know, it either got plugged up or something and got hot material that dumped down in the cooler, and then that cooler started on fire. And then, as there was feeding into a bin. And so we had to empty the bin and then also empty the cooler in the basement,” Chief Brad Hindt, Sheldon Fire Company said.
Hindt said the process to get the material out of the Coop took a while because of safety reasons. Fire officials said everything is good at the Coop.