A fire broke out in a grain dryer mid-afternoon Monday near Crookston, damaging the dryer extensively, but nothing else, said Robert Staehnke, manager of the Mid-Valley Grain Cooperative, which is part of St. Paul-based CHS.
The facility, on state Highway 75 about a mile south of the American Crystal Co. beet plant, was drying soybeans Monday, when apparently pods gathered at the top of the dryer bin ignited simply from the heat of the dryer, Staehnke said.
The fire was noticed about 2:30 or 3 p.m., he said, and was difficult to get completely snuffed.
"Once a fire gets started in soybeans, they are an oil product, so it's hard to get the fire out."
No one was hurt, but the dryer sustained "pretty extensive damage," Staehnke said.
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His plant has other dryer facilities that will handle the demand with some shifting around of equipment, he said. Company and insurance officials will be on the scene today to assess the damage.
The soybeans have been coming in at 17 percent to 20 percent moisture and need to be dried down to 13 percent for proper storage, he said.
Reach Lee at (701) 780-1237; (800) 477-6572, ext. 237; or send e-mail to slee@gfherald.com .
