(Lake Park)– Fire this (Wednesday) morning destroyed a building at the Arco Dehydrating plant in Lake Park.
Lake Park Fire Chief Brandon Ehret tells KUOO news firefighters were called to the scene around 6:00 a.m.
Upon arriving he says flames were visible from a quonset building immediately behind a milling facility. Ehret says most of the fire was contained to that building, which houses bagged alfalfa pellets, meal and wood chips. Ehret says the mill and another nearby structure sustained minor damage.
He says the fire has halted operations at the plant atleast for now.
Ehret says the Deputy State Fire Marshal determined the fire started in a skid loader that was parked inside the structure. He says it appears it started inside the engine compartment.
Ehret says no one was in the plant at the time and that the fire was discovered by a passerby who called 911.
In addition to Lake Park, fire departments from Spirit Lake, Arnolds Park/Okoboji, Milford, Harris and Ocheyedan were also on the scene at the height of the fire.
No injuries were reported.
Ehret thanks everyone who assisted firefighters in their efforts.
Several firefighters were on the scene into the afternoon keeping an eye out for hot spots and keeping some nearby fuels tanks, an alfalfa pellet storage facility and a silo cool.
