Fire damages grain bin at Marshfield mill
MARSHFIELD - Fire damaged a grain bin Thursday at an agricultural mill, prompting emergency crews from throughout the Marshfield area to respond.
Employees at Prince Corporation, 8351 Wood County H, in the town of Marshfield, reported the fire around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Brian Hafermann, chief of the Hewitt Area Fire Department.
The fire was believed to be inside a piping system within the grain bin. Fire crews extended a ladder truck to reach the top of the bin, disassembled the pipes and sprayed water inside.
Equipment was damaged, but the extent of that damage was not immediately known Thursday afternoon, according to Hafermann. He said the fire did not appear to be suspicious and its cause was not yet known, but added that mills are at risk for catching fire because they generate a lot of dust.
"We will do an investigation once we know the fire is completely suppressed," Hafermann said in an interview as crews were still on scene Thursday.
No one reported any injuries.
White and gray smoke was visible from the scene shortly after the fire was reported.
The fire triggered a box alarm that drew departments from Arpin, Auburndale, Hewitt, Marshfield, Pittsville, Richfield and Vesper. Marshfield Police Department officers also detoured traffic away from the site near the intersection of Wood County H and Galvin Road.
Fire crews, which were on the scene for at least several hours, had previously trained there. The site has a pond solely for the purpose of holding water to fight fires, Hafermann said.
The Prince Corporation is a wholesale distributor and manufacturer of agricultural, lawn and garden, pet and wild bird products.
Jonathan Anderson: 715-898-7010 orjonathan.anderson@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @jonathanderson. Liz Welter: 715-898-7008, or liz.welter@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @welter_liz.
