Grain silo fire prompts 10-hour response in Perry County
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
PERRY COUNTY, Mo. (KBSI) — A commercial grain silo fire in Perry County brought nearly 30 firefighters from Missouri and Illinois together Saturday for a response that lasted almost 10 hours.
According to the Perry County Rural Fire Department, crews were dispatched at approximately 1:15 p.m. to the 8300 block of North Highway 51 for a reported commercial structure fire involving two grain silos.
When firefighters arrived, smoke was coming from two approximately 70-foot-tall silos. Facility management told crews one silo contained flour dust while the other contained about 10 feet of corn dust, creating the potential for a hazardous dust explosion.
The Perryville Fire Department positioned its aerial ladder truck next to the silos while portable drop tanks were established to provide a continuous water supply. As smoke and fire conditions changed, firefighters adjusted their tactics because of the explosion risk, opening an access door to begin applying water directly into the affected silo.
As conditions improved, crews transitioned to an interior attack. The Cape Girardeau Fire Department later responded with its 100-foot platform truck to improve aerial access. Firefighters cut two access openings in an elevated catwalk before repositioning the platform truck over the second silo, where water was delivered through an open manhole using a master stream.
After the master stream operation was completed, firefighters entered the silo to extinguish remaining hot spots. Following a thorough inspection, the fire was declared extinguished.
A total of 28 firefighters responded to the fire from:
- Perry County Rural Fire Department
- Perryville Fire Department
- Chester Fire Department
- Ellis Grove Fire Department
- Sparta Fire Department
- Cape Girardeau Fire Department
- Steelville Fire Department
- Ozora Fire Department
The Perry County Memorial Hospital Ambulance Service provided on-scene rehabilitation and medical monitoring for emergency personnel during the extended operation. Several firefighters were evaluated for heat-related stress, but none required transportation to a hospital.
The Perry County Rural Fire Department thanked all assisting agencies saying,
“The Perry County Rural Fire Department extends its sincere appreciation to all assisting agencies for their professionalism, teamwork, and commitment during this complex incident. The coordinated response and mutual aid provided by neighboring departments were instrumental in bringing the fire under control safely and efficiently.”
Command was terminated at 10:50 p.m. Saturday.
