Fire put out at grain facility in Knowlesville
Photos by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – Firefighters check up high to make sure a fire at a grain leg in a facility owned by Panek Farms in Knowlesville hasn’t spread.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 3:30 this morning. There was a fire at the base of the grain leg, said Ridgeway Fire Chief Tyler Luckman.
The fire was contained to that area. Albion firefighters brought a ladder truck to make sure the fire hadn’t spread up higher.
The grain facility on Route 31 is across the road from the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. The grain bins and legs are currently empty, which made it easier to keep the fire confined to a small area, said Justin Niederhofer, the Orleans County emergency management director.
A belt that carries grain to the top of the facility was on fire, he said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. A contractor was on site welding and cutting on Wednesday. A fire investigator wants to check with that contractor as part of the investigation into the fire.
Albion firefighters use a ladder truck to check up high if the fire had spread. The blaze didn’t get high into the grain leg. It was confined to the base area of the grain leg. About 20 firefighters responded to the scene.
