Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly 10 hours after a series of dust explosions triggered rapid fire spread through the Osage facility, requiring mutual aid from multiple departments

By Mary Pieper
Globe Gazette

OSAGE, Iowa — A sulfur explosion at the Osage Co-Op is believed to have caused a large fire Saturday morning.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 7:36 a.m. due to a report of a sulfur explosion, according to a press release from the Osage Fire Department.

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As emergency personnel set up for a fire attack, a series of smaller dust explosions triggered rapid fire development throughout the remainder of the facility, the press release states. A call for mutual aid was issued to surrounding fire departments.

Firefighters successfully brought the fire under control and remained on scene until approximately 5:15 p.m., according to the press release. No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under active investigation.

The Osage Police Department and Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office assisted on scene with traffic control and monitored smoke trajectory to ensure public safety.

Others assisting at the scene were the Osage Co-Op, Mitchell County EMS, Mitchell County Emergency Management, Osage Municipal Utilities, the city of Osage, Mayers Digging, and the St. Ansgar, Floyd, Charles City and Cowell fire departments.

The Osage Fire Department stated on its Facebook page that the structure may smolder or burn for the next couple of days. If smoke becomes an irritant, residents are advised to keep their windows closed.

The elevator cannot accept grain at this time as the electricity has been shut off, according to the Osage Fire Department’s Facebook page.

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