(Photo Courtesy Sheldon Fire Company)
Sheldon, Iowa — There has been another fire at a Sheldon agricultural facility. This time, at AGP’s baghouses. The news comes just two days after an explosion and fire at Sheldon’s Kent Feed Mill, and 12 days after an explosion at the Kent facility caused major damage to their tower.
Sheldon Fire Chief Brand Hindt tells us firefighters were paged Friday night just before midnight to AG Processing Inc. (AGP) for the report of a fire in their baghouse. A baghouse is an industrial air pollution control device and dust collector that removes particulate matter using fabric filter bags.
When they got there, Hindt says firefighters could see visible flame coming from the third-floor baghouse. They met with AGP employees and were advised that there was a second baghouse on fire downstream from the main baghouse.
O’Brien County EMA deployed their drone to check for hot areas of the plant. At that time, fire departments from Sanborn and Boyden were requested for mutual aid, and Sheldon Community Ambulance Team was requested to be on standby on scene.
Firefighters began a coordinated fire attack on the two separate baghouses. One group laid about 400 ft of supply and attack lines up the side of the building. A group of four firefighters made their way to the third-floor baghouse to attack the fire.
A second group of firefighters laid about 700 ft of supply and attack lines to the north to the second floor. Another group of four firefighters made their way to the second-floor baghouse to attack that fire.
As firefighters worked on extinguishing the fire, Hospers firefighters were requested for manpower. Both fires were under control in about 45 minutes, and then overhaul began, says Chief Hindt.
He says the cause of the fire is under investigation. It heavily damaged both baghouses. No one was injured. About 45 firefighters responded to the incident and used about 5000 gallons of water.
The Boyden, Sanborn, and Hospers Fire Departments, the Sheldon Community Ambulance Team, the Sheldon Police Department, O’Brien County Emergency Management, the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, and employees from AG Processing all assisted the firefighters.
The Sheldon Fire Company was back in service at 3:30 a.m.
