UPDATE: Fire at Amalgamated Sugar Factory caused by spontaneous combustion
Fire broke out around 7:45pm Saturday night.
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — UPDATE: Wednesday, March 31. at 2:38 p.m.
Twin Falls fire chief Les Kensworthy says spontaneous combustion is the cause of the blaze.
Kensworthy says the investigation into the fire is now complete, he also commented there is now a significant amount of cleanup now for the factory.
Officials say the blaze began in the structure where the sugar beet pellets are dried and stored. It took longer than a day to completely extinguish the flames.
Update: Sunday March 28th at 12:30 PM:
The Twin Falls Fire Department said on Sunday afternoon that crews worked through the night and continue to work to completely extinguish the fire.
All agencies assisting TFFD cleared throughout the night with Rock Creek Fire being the last to clear at 8:30AM.
There is currently an excavator and two loaders from Amalgamated Sugar Factory working to removing all contents of the warehouse to help completely extinguish the fire.
TFFD crews are standing by to put out any remaining fires found and continue ventilate the roof to get the remaining smoke out.
This fire should be completely out and all units clear sometime this afternoon. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.
Twin Falls Fire Department was assisted by
Jerome City Fire Department
Filer Fire and Rescue
Buhl Fire Department
Rock Creek Fire Protection District
Magic Valley Paramedics
Twin Falls Police Department
Declo Rural Fire Department
Saturday March 27th: A fire was reported at the Amalgamated Sugar factory on Eastland and Orchard in Twin Falls around 7:45pm. When firefighters arrived they noticed significant smoke pouring out of the structure where the sugar beet pellets are dried and stored.
Twin Falls Fire estimated 50 fire and EMS personnel are on scene from a number of agencies including Buhl Fire, Jerome Fire, Filer Fire, Kimberly Fire, Rock Creek Fire and an air unit from Declo.
Twin Falls Fire Chief Les Kenworthy stated this fire was unique due to the size of the building and added he thinks this fire is expected to burn throughout the night.
“A this point we’re not sure how or why it started necessarily, but there was obviously a fire in the storage structure,” said Kenworthy. “It’s a very large structure. It’s several hundred feet long and probably 80 feet tall and it’s probably about three quarters full of material.”
KMVT reached out to Amalgamated Sugar whose Public Affairs Manager Jessica Anderson stated nobody was working inside the building when the fire began. They are asking for a thorough investigation in order to determine the cause of the fire and prevent future fires.
At this stage, no employees or responders have been reported as injured. Twin Falls Fire has indicted the fire is roughly 25 percent contained.
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