Grain Dryer Eyed as Cause of Blast at Illinois Elevator

A fire in grain drying equipment is thought to have caused an explosion Monday morning at an Illinois grain elevator, several local news organizations reported.

Fire crews from five fire departments responded to the Grainland Cooperative facility in Cruger, IL after receiving a call at about 6:30 a.m., fire and company officials told the Peoria Journal-Star. The facility’s general manager, Jeff Brooks, told several media organizations that the dryer machinery is thought to have been involved in the explosion. 

Images taken at the scene by the Eureka-Goodfield Fire Protection District and EMS showed mangled metal pieces hanging from the top of the structure. 

No staff were inside the facility when the fire and blast occurred, and no injuries were reported during the incident. The extent of damages to the structure is unknown. The company said it plans to keep the elevator closed on Monday. 

Formed through a merger of Farmers Grain Cooperative of Eureka and the Secor Elevator Company, Grainland Cooperative operates six locations in Illinois that offer a combined storage capacity of 21 million bushels of corn, beans and wheat, according to the company’s website.

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