The Jamestown Fire Department responded to a report of smoke at 11:59 a.m. Thursday, April 30, to 1013 3rd St. SE, the former Peavey elevator which is now Gavilon Grain, said Jim Reuther, fire chief.
Reuther said smoke was reported to be coming out of the top of the elevator. He said as a precaution, firefighters were held back a block and he went to confirm whether there was smoke or not. Firefighters were kept at a distance due to the potential of fire and the explosion potential, he said.
“It was actually dust from cleaning grain, which was a huge relief,” Reuther said. “Those elevators are definitely - they’re not a good deal if they’re on fire because usually what happens is they explode … because of all the grain dust and then especially when they’re concrete.”
The Fire Department was at the scene for 15 minutes; 24 firefighters and five units responded.
“I can say that we have done inspections down there (at the elevator) and they do a really, really good job of cleaning it the best they possibly can, so they’re always doing the maintenance of what is needed to be done,” Reuther said.
