Sheldon, Iowa — Officials with Ag Partners say the cost of damage to repair the Ag Partners grain house after an explosion Friday morning isn’t yet available.
Troy Upah of Ag Partners home office in Albert City tells KIWA the damage hasn’t been completely assessed as of Monday morning. He says there was some concrete blown away, as well as damage to a grain leg.
Upah says the damage was confined to an old grain house that doesn’t get operated much anymore. As a result he says the incident had minimal impact on the company’s production. He says the plant was fully operational Friday afternoon.
Upah had high praise for the Sheldon Emergency Services Departments and their response to Friday morning’s incident. He ways they did a nice job of evacuating people in the surrounding area that could, potentially, have been in harms way, and he praised the way they handled the entire situation.
Sheldon Emergency Services crews were dispatched to the Business 60 facility shortly after 9:00 am Friday to the call of an explosion and possible fire. They remained on-scene for about three-and-one-half hours.
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Fourth Update
Sheldon, Iowa — Shortly after 9:00 am Friday morning, Sheldon fire crews were dispatched to the Ag Partners location at the corner of Business 60 and 10th Street, on the western edge of the downtown area of Sheldon.
Sheldon Assistant Fire Chief Brad Hint tells us what happened.
Hindt says some homes and businesses in the area of the incident were evacuated.
He says a drone was used to look for hot spots, and take photos of any damage to make sure it was safe to send personnel to the top of the grain elevator.
Hindt talks about the damage that was discovered once staff were allowed to perform an inspection.
He says they could see no fire, but they couldn’t take that for granted.
Sheldon and Sanborn firefighters, as well as Sheldon EMA personnel, were on-scene for about 3-1/2 hours, during which time Business 60 was closed to traffic from Highway 18 on the north, and 16th Street on the south.
Hindt says no estimate of damage amount is immediately available.
Sheldon Assistant Fire Chief Brad Hindt briefs the media following the Ag Partner’s call………..
Here are some images from the Ag Partners incident Friday morning……………..
Image from KIWA’s Downtown Web Cam
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Third Update
Sheldon, Iowa — Business 60, otherwise known as 2nd Avenue, in Sheldon is once again open to both truck and passenger vehicle travel.
Sheldon firefighters were called to Ag Partners shortly after 9:00 this (Friday) morning to the report of an explosion and fire in one of the grain elevators at Ag Partners, which is located near the intersection of Business 60 and 10th Street.
Business 60 was closed from Highway 18 on the north to 16th Street on the south shortly thereafter.
As of 12:40 Friday afternoon Business 60 was opened to traffic, with fire crews, EMA and SCAT all pulling out of the area.
We will have more information a little later this afternoon.
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Second Update
Sheldon, Iowa — Emergency crews remain at Ag Partners on Business 60 in Sheldon after the report of an explosion and fire in one of the facility’s elevators shortly after 9:00 this morning.
As of 11:30 this morning (Friday) semis are not being allowed to go south of Highway 18 on Business 60, while passenger vehicles are being allowed to go as far as 9th Street before being diverted away from the scene.
Please obey the instructions of the officials directing traffic during this incident.
Witnesses tell us that as of about 11:30 this morning, a drone was seen hovering over the elevator, presumably being flown to send back video images to assess damage to the facility.
The Downtown KIWA Webcam is focused on Ag Partners, so you watch live at kiwaradio.com.
More details as they become available.
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First Update
Sheldon, Iowa — As of late Friday morning firefighters , SCAT and Sheldon EMA are still on the scene of a fire in one of the elevators at Ag Partners in Sheldon.
Officials have closed 2nd Avenue, or Business 60, from Highway 18 on the north to 16th Street on the south, rerouting traffic away from the scene of the incident. According to an on-scene source, the street will remain closed “for a while” as damage assessments are being completed.
KIWA will have more information for you as it becomes available.
Live video can be viewed at the main screen of kiwaradio.com, from the downtown KIWA webcam.
A few still photos from the scene may be viewed below…………….
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Original Post follows…………………………
Sheldon, Iowa — Sheldon Firefighters, EMA, and SCAT are all on the scene of a fire at Ag Partners this morning.
The alarm was raised early in the 9:00 am hour, for a fire at Ag Partners on Business 60 in Sheldon. The fire is reportedly located in one of the facility’s grain elevators, and was said to have followed an explosion that blew windows out of the elevator.
The Sheldon Fire Company has requested the Sanborn Fire Department for mutual aid in fighting the fire.
As a result of the emergency services activity in the area, Business 60 (2nd Ave.) is closed from Highway 18 on the north to 16th Street on the south. You’re asked to avoid the area.
KIWA will have more information as it becomes available.
Here’s a view from the KIWA Downtown Sky Cam…………..
