July 31st, 2024
On Monday April 8th, a dryer caught fire at a soybean plant for International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) in Gibson City, Illinois. Due to the large amount of smoke pouring out, firefighters had to attack the fire from the exterior. They used heavy-duty equipment to get inside the soybean dryer, which took over 7 hours to extinguish. Over 100 firefighters, nine fire departments, and many volunteers from the community came to help. Semi-tankers remained on standby to provide water if needed.
Ford County will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire. The soybean dryer reduces the moisture content of soybeans to make them safe for long-term storage and prevent spoilage. Investigators believe there was an equipment malfunction. Rescuers had to stay on the scene for several hours after extinguishing the fire in case of flare-ups. The plant reopened after 2 days, but full operations did not resume until April 26th. All damaged equipment was removed and inspected. The post-fire investigation is crucial for understanding what went wrong and how to help prevent such incidents in the future. Luckily, no injuries were reported. 
Proper training, operation, and maintenance of agricultural handling equipment and dryers can help prevent fires and explosions. Pre-planning and training with local fire departments for potential emergencies and preparing Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans are critical in minimizing property loss and production downtime.
Experienced Risk Logic engineers have an excellent understanding of potential hazards at agricultural mills and manufacturing facilities. Our engineers can visit your plant to conduct a property loss prevention inspection to assess how your business receives, stores, uses, and processes materials. If you’d like to schedule a property loss prevention survey by Risk Logic, please contact us.
