Michigan Farm News' Jon Adamy reported that more than 20 firefighters tackled a fire burning within a 1.1-million-bushel corn pile at ADM’s Webberville elevator on Wednesday, December 18. The Northeast Ingham Emergency Service Authority (NIESA) received the alert at 7:30 a.m. and swiftly contained the fire before it could damage the facility’s infrastructure.
NIESA Director and Fire Chief Mike Yanz reported that while the fire continued to smolder deep within the pile, it was under control and being monitored for hot spots. Yanz explained that spontaneous combustion due to moisture within the corn pile likely caused the fire, comparing it to similar occurrences in mulch or compost piles.
The firefighting operation involved specialized equipment, including ropes for scaling the corn pile and piercing hose nozzles for deep penetration. Yanz likened climbing the grain pile to “working in quicksand,” highlighting the unique challenges faced by the responders.
