Nov. 04--SAUK RAPIDS -- A fire in a corn dryer caused thousands of dollars of damage Saturday evening at Gold'n Plump (GNP Company) in Sauk Rapids.
At about 6:20 p.m., the Sauk Rapids Fire Department was called to 459-60th St. NW after a report of a fire. Firefighters discovered that a blaze started in one of the plant's corn dryers and units from Sauk Rapids and Sartell were on scene for almost three hours to extinguish the flames and hot spots, according to Sauk Rapids Fire Chief Tony Hommerding.
The plant has two corn dryers and the smaller of the two was the one that caught fire, said Lexann Reischl, corporate relations manager for GNP. Reischl said that while the fire caused some damage, the dryer could still be repaired instead of being replaced. She estimated that fixing the unit would cost about $10,000.
While the dryer is being fixed, Reischl said the drying process will slow slightly. When two dryers are running, the business is able to dry about 5,000 bushels of corn per hour, she said. With one dyer, Reischl said the plant can dry about 4,500 bushels per hour.
Hommerding said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
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