Seven U.S. grain dust explosions in 2025 caused 10 injuries and four fatalities, according to a nationwide annual summary by Purdue University.
The number of explosions is slightly below the 10-year national average of 8.5 and down from nine in 2024. However, injuries and fatalities increased significantly compared to two injuries and no fatalities in 2024.
The explosions occurred in two grain elevators, one farm-operated grain elevator, one seed processing facility, one feed mill, one flour mill and one biofuel plant. The deadliest incident occurred July 29 at Horizon Biofuels in Fremont, Neb., killing three workers. A July 23 explosion at Panhandle Milling in Dawn, Texas, killed one worker and injured three others.
Probable ignition sources were identified in one case as smoldering grain, one as equipment maintenance work, one as an overheated bearing and one as a dust fire. Three ignition sources remain unknown. Grain dust, which caused five explosions, was the most common fuel source, followed by wood dust and one unknown source.
Texas and Ohio had two explosions each, while Minnesota, North Dakota and Nebraska each had one. The incidents occurring across a variety of agricultural industries highlight persistent vulnerabilities in explosive dust management, according to Kingsly Ambrose, Purdue University professor of agricultural and biological engineering and the report's author.
Work to prevent explosions starts before harvest with equipment maintenance and proper storage conditions. Improper aeration leads to fungal growth, which causes grain and feed to smolder, increasing the risk of igniting dust in grain bins. Housekeeping remains critical to prevent visible settled dust or suspended dust in the air.
