Fire after reported explosion at Quaker Oats plant in Iowa, all workers safe
A fire broke out on Saturday at a Quaker Oats plant in Cedar Rapids, in the US state of Iowa. The fire department said the blaze evidently began with an explosion. In a relief to many, there were no immediate reports of injuries and all the workers got out safely.
The Cedar Rapids Fire Department said firefighters responded to the call at about 4:45pm. Video and photos posted to social media showed black smoke over the downtown of the city of about 140,000 people.
The fire department said via Facebook that the fire evidently began with an explosion. There was, however, no immediate information on what caused the explosion or the fire.
Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell said in a Facebook video that all workers got out safely and were accounted for without any injuries. In other words, no one was trapped inside the plant.
O'Donnell also said the fire happened in an area of the building that handled products. In her words, it is not heavily populated with employees and team members — which, in this case, was a blessing.
Firefighters worked at the scene, and the smoke spreading across the downtown area caused concern locally. But with no reports of casualties, a major disaster appears to have been avoided.
PepsiCo Foods US said in a statement that fire responders went to the scene of the blaze and that how it started would be investigated. The company offered no comment in advance on the cause.
The Quaker Oats brand, by way of the Quaker Mill Company, turns 150 years old in 2027. The brand is owned by PepsiCo. A fire at a plant of this long-established food brand is therefore drawing particular attention locally.
According to the company's website, the Cedar Rapids Quaker Oats facility is the largest milling facility in the world, processing over 2 million pounds (900,000 kilograms) of oats daily. A fire at such a major production centre also raises fears of disrupted output.
It is not yet known how much damage the fire caused to the plant or when production might return to normal. The picture of the damage is expected to become clear once the investigation is complete.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is now the key issue. Although the fire department has said the blaze began with an explosion, once the real reason emerges, a fresh discussion may also begin about safety arrangements at the plant.
