THE TWO workers who were injured after a grain silo exploded in southern Peoria have been released from the hospital, a corporate spokesman said Thursday.
“They were exposed to the smoke but they were taken to the hospital so they were fine. They have since been discharged,” said Scott Carey, a spokesman for BioUrja Renewables.
Carey showed that the U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (T. E. )The facility, located southwest of Washington Street. The installation has been paralyzed lately.
“We are still assessing what the root cause of the challenge is, and we are doing so today. Basically, one of our metal grain silos imploded and caused a chimney in the silo that caused the explosions that occurred,” he said. Beyond that, I don’t have much data to reveal. “
When firefighters arrived Wednesday night, just before nine o’clock in the evening, they discovered several giant grain silos on fire and badly damaged.
Three silos tilted and one collapsed, said Battalion Chief Steve Rada of the Peoria Fire Department.
Due to the severity of the incident, crews were unable to enter to completely extinguish the fire. Firefighters were tracking the scene remotely due to structural disorders as well as a peak of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The domain cordoned off and there is no danger to the public, Rada said.
According to OSHA surveys, the dust in grain silos is so fine that a spark can cause an explosion.
Members of the Peoria Fire Department left the scene around 1 p. m. Thursday, Rada said, around four p. m. after being called shortly before nine o’clock on Wednesday night. BioUrja continues to monitor its facilities.
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Carey said there was no other damage to the facility besides the 4 grain elevators. When asked about the age of the silos, he said he didn’t “know the age, but they were in fact not new. “
Goodbye ADM, hello BioUrja: after 40 years, Peoria’s ethanol plant will replace hands
Damage to the facility was estimated at more than $2 million, the fire branch said, and the incident is still under investigation.
The company, Carey said, is also what happened.
“Our No. 1 priority is to assess the challenge and make sure that when we restart the facility, it’s done as safely as possible,” he said.
BioUrja purchased ADM at the end of 2021. La plant produces 3 grades of ethanol: medical grade (used in hand sanitizers and for medical purposes), beverage grade, and fuel grade.