Ingredion still working to extinguish industrial fire at Cedar Rapids facility Wednesday

CEDAR RAPIDS — A fire at the Ingredion facility in southwest Cedar Rapids was still burning Wednesday morning, after first being reported Tuesday afternoon.

The multinational ingredient maker, which operates a facility in the 1000 block of First Street SW, reported to the Cedar Rapids Fire Department that there was an industrial fire in the corn processing plant at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. A news release from the fire department states plant employees “located a heat source, but it is not directly accessible.”

The first release, sent to media at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, said efforts still were underway to “mitigate and extinguish the fire using on-site equipment.” Firefighters and their equipment are reportedly “staged to respond quickly if the situation changes and their services become necessary.”

As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, the plant employees were still working to “address the incident,” with Cedar Rapids firefighters on standby in case the situation changes, according to an update from the fire department.

Six Cedar Rapids Fire Department vehicles were staged on site Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, one engine and one command vehicle remained assigned to the location, the fire department said.

Fire department personnel and Ingredion staff have been in “constant communication and CRFD is consulting with on-site personnel,” the Tuesday release stated.

Ingredion’s communication team is expected to release additional details Wednesday afternoon.