(Red Oak) Firefighters from Red Oak, Elliott, and Stanton responded to 2049 Fernwood Ave (Bunge Corp) in Red Oak at 5:15 a.m. today for a report of a fire inside the building extending into the east cyclone tower system. Initial radio reports indicated a fire inside a processing tube inside the building, with heavy smoke coming from the north side of the building.
This activated additional mutual aid from the Villisca FD and the Shenandoah FD for their aerial. Interior fire crews quickly knocked down the interior fire while the Red Oak aerial began exterior suppression operations of the east cyclone tower.
Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce says the processing plant and cyclone system sustained minimal damage. Bunge staff and firefighters were not injured.
Fireground operations were terminated at 7:02 a.m., and the plant was turned over to maintenance/management personnel without incident. The plant is operational this morning.
Chief Bruce thanks the Bunge maintenance personnel for all their assistance and the following agencies for their assistance: the fire departments from Elliott, Stanton, Villisca, Shenandoah (aerial), the Red Oak Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County Communications, and the Red Oak Water Department.
(Photo: Courtesy of the Red Oak Fire Department)
