No one was injured in the blaze at West Central Ag Services. Authorities believe the fire, reported at 11:45 a.m., was caused by a grain dust explosion, said Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist, who was on scene.

Wednesday’s fire is the third at the elevator in the past six years.

An early 2006 fire damaged a grain drier at the complex. In September 2002, a welder escaped serious injury after a grain elevator caught fire when a spark from the welder blew into a cleaning unit and started a smoldering dust fire.

In January, a man was buried up to his neck in corn, but was not seriously injured. The man was working in an empty storage bin when a shower of corn was somehow released. Minnesota OSHA fined West Central Ag Services $12,000 for the incident and cited the business for one “serious” and one “willful” violation, according to OSHA records.

That followed a fatal accident on June 19, 2007, when David Grafsgaard, 47, became trapped in a grain elevator at the complex when corn fell on top of him.

It took about 45 minutes for rescue crews to free Grafsgaard, who died the next day at a Fargo hospital. Minnesota OSHA fined West Central Ag Services $26,350 in that case.

Firefighters from several communities, including Hitterdal, Hawley, Felton and Moorhead, responded to Wednesday’s fire.

Billowing black clouds of smoke and large flames were visible from a distance. Bright flames shot up on the metal roof connected to the main building as the fire spread, melting the roof away.

Several fire trucks were headed back and forth bringing water on scene. Authorities asked people to stay away to help keep the roads clear and evacuated a small area of Ulen as a precaution in case of additional explosions, Bergquist said.

Traffic was rerouted and no one was allowed into Ulen during part of the afternoon, Clay County Lt. Bruce Fleury said.

Source: Brittany Lawonn, Moorhead Forum

Readers can reach Forum reporter Brittany Lawonn at (701) 241-5541