Fire breaks out in corn starch dryer at Penford

A dryer fire caused minimal damage Wednesday afternoon at Penford Products, 1001 First St. SW.

Firefighters were called to the plant at 1:26 p.m. Wednesday. Penford's emergency response team had already extinguished the majority of the fire, which involved insulation outside of ductwork above a dryer on the third floor, before fire crews arrived.

Firefighters and Penford employees worked together to remove access panels and burnt insulation to check for any fire extension.  After about 90 minutes on scene, firefighters concluded that the damage was confined to the insulation above the dryer, resulting in minimal property damage.

Firefighters did have to manage intense heat in the area, as the temperature can exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit in the vicinity of the dryer.

The corn milling facility is located along the Cedar River.