Fire fighters squelch blaze at Holloway grain handling facility

HOLLOWAY -- Fire fighters from eight different departments extinguished a fire at the Western Consolidated Cooperative's grain handling facility in Holloway and prevented it from spreading to a large, grain storage facility on Thursday night.

Jet black smoke was visible as far away as Starbuck as the fire took hold in a grain handling system at the facility around 8 p.m.

Three contract workers were treated for smoke inhalation at an area hospital and later released, according to information from West-Con.

Fire fighters battled the blaze for about 3½ hours, although an Appleton Fire Department unit remained through the night to guard against a possible flare up.

The fire appears to have started in a dust suppression system used in the grain handling area where trucks empty their loads, according to Jeff Gades, first assistant chief with the Appleton Fire Department.

West-Con is reporting that damage appears to be minimal. It is also reporting that business is continuing as normal with the grain department accepting grain to both lanes 1 and 2 at the complex.