At least eight employees have been reported injured at the “east” ADM food processing plant in Decatur, Illinois. An explosion rocked the facility causing “significant damage” on Sunday, September 10, Archer-Daniels-Midland notes in a statement.
ADM explosion not the first
Sunday’s blaze is “the third fire at ADM this year,” New York Post reports, “and comes less than 12 weeks after firefighters extinguished a ‘very labor-intensive‘ inferno at the same plant.”
In April, three employees were injured in a separate explosion at ADM’s west plant.
Details are still coming in but “multiple people were injured” when “eruption occurred around 7:15 p.m.” Heavy smoke can be seen in photos and video “billowing from the grounds as city fire officials battled the subsequent fire.”
ADM plant explosion/fire caught on our weather camera in Decatur, IL. pic.twitter.com/Q2cifRRlnp
— Kevin Lighty – WCIA 3 Chief Meteorologist (@KevinLighty) September 11, 2023
Several of the ADM employees, later listed as eight, “were rushed to a local hospital for treatment.” Still, the exact number of the wounded and their conditions were not immediately known.
The explosion carried enough force to “shake nearby homes” neighbors relate. The ADM plant was quickly evacuated but thankfully, according to the Decatur Fire Department, “no private homes needed to be cleared.”
Multiple agencies will be “monitoring the situation and expect to release new information as the investigation continues.”
Update on workers
As Republican lawmaker Nikki Budzinski posted on X, “My team and I are in touch with local officials as we closely monitor the situation at ADM this evening.” An update released by the company on Monday notes “five employees remain in the hospital receiving treatment for their injuries, and our priority is providing our injured colleagues and their families support.”
The East Plant which exploded, “produces soybean oil and white flake for soybean protein production.” It “remained out of operation on Monday, as did the adjacent corn processing plant.”
At least two of the injured required an airlift to the burn center with serious injuries. As described by the fire department, “the first engine company to arrive at the west side of the blast area was faced with debris scattered over a wide area.” The ADM complex is huge.
Major explosion at the Corn Plant at ADM in Decatur IL this evening. Several victims with major trauma reported. pic.twitter.com/GJchCE1IHW
— Cory (@CoryRitter) September 11, 2023
“The fires were burning in an approximately 10 story building with adjoining buildings to the north and south. The building to the west of this area also suffered severe damage.”
At first, “rail cars hindered initial fire suppression efforts and were moved to provide access to the fire building. The first engine company to arrive on the east side of the blast area was confronted with several injured workers.”
They “worked with ambulances on scene to treat the injured workers.” ADM thoughtfully “provided a drone with thermal imaging capabilities which helped fire crews identify and attack fire hot spots,” the department added.
