UPDATE: 11:16 a.m. (5/12) — Peoria Firefighters and the Peoria Fire Department HAZMAT team remained on scene of an industrial explosion at the former ADM plant in downtown Peoria Thursday morning.
Crews were called to the scene around 9:00 p.m. Wednesday on a report of a grain bin explosion. When crews arrived they found several large grain bins that were on fire and heavily damaged.
Due to the severity of the incident, crews were unable to make entry to fully extinguish the fire.
Fire crews are currently monitoring the situation from a distance due to structural issues as well as a high level of CO2 in the atmosphere.
Fire Battalion Chief Steve Rada said the cause of the incident is still under investigation and there is still active fire in the grain bin system.
Firefighters will continue to monitor the situation and are developing a plan to mitigate the situation.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirms to 25 News it’s now on scene as well, conducting an investigation that they say could take up to six months. They declined to provide any other information.
The area around the BioUrja plant is cordoned off and there is no danger to the public.
Fire officials will continue to update the situation when more information becomes available.
Damage at the plant has been estimated at over $2,000,000.
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PEORIA, Ill. – A “major grain explosion” has caused damage at the former ADM plant in Peoria.
Peoria Interim Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger said crews were called to the BioUrja plant Wednesday evening. He says two 150 foot grain silos collapsed, and there’d been a fire in a third silo, causing concern for another collapse; but it was later reported that two silos were leaning and on the verge of collapse.
Sollberger says two people suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to a hospital.
BioUrja purchased the plant from ADM last October.
More details are expected to be released Thursday.
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