June 20, 2008
KELOLAND TV, SD
Volunteer firefighters from Rushmore, Minnesota remain on the scene of an elevator fire in the small farming community.
Hot spots and flare ups are keeping them busy well into the evening. And even though crews from at least six communities responded, it didn't take long for the elevator to burn to the ground.
People in Rushmore, Minnesota heard something they didn't expect around 2:30 Thursday afternoon. Sirens.
But as soon as they stepped outside, they could see smoke billowing from the local grain elevators.
"I heard the fire trucks by the side of my house and we heard the sirens stop, so we knew it had to be pretty close," Sarah Jacobs said.
Jacobs lives near the grain elevator. She says she heard explosions and came outside to find flames reaching high into the sky.
"It is kind of scary but I'm glad the wind was blowing from the North today. If it were from the South, it'd be closer to our house," Jacobs said.
The wind helped keep the fire from spreading, while firefighters fought the flames from all angles. Rushmore was joined by crews from half a dozen surrounding communities, but even with all the help, the fire and heat were a tough match for the corn elevator.
With corn prices up 20 percent in the last two weeks, the fire also destroyed an important part of the local economy. Countless bushels of corn spilled when the elevator caught fire and toppled over.
"It's pretty important. We farm around here too and the elevator has been here since I was born. It's pretty important to the town," Jacobs said.
Like many small towns, the elevator was part of the community, so it's hard for residents to see something so familiar fall to fire.
At this time, the cause of the fire is unknown and no injuries have been reported.
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