News

Resuming Normal Operations at ADM Plant in Decatur, Ill.

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Andrew R. Michaud

• September 13, 2023

ADM, a leading agricultural processing company, has announced that it is in the process of restarting operations at its corn processing plant in Decatur, Ill. The plant, located within its industrial complex, was temporarily shut down due to an explosion and fire on Sunday evening. ADM expects to resume normal operation levels in the coming days.

Impact of the Incident

The explosion and fire at ADM's East Plant resulted in both the facility and the adjacent corn processing plant being taken offline. The plant primarily produces soybean oil and white flake for soybean protein production. While the incident affected raw material production capabilities at the East plant, no damage was reported in the protein production area. As a result, ADM can source raw materials from alternative facilities.

Recovery Efforts

ADM is committed to expediting the recovery process and aims to restart the majority of protein production at the facility in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the company plans to leverage its vast transportation and origination network to meet customer needs until full operations at the plant can be resumed.

Ongoing Investigation

The investigation into the cause of the incident is currently ongoing, and ADM is actively working to determine what led to the explosion. The company remains dedicated to maintaining a safe working environment for its employees and preventing similar incidents in the future.

Stay tuned for updates as ADM progresses towards resuming full operations at its Decatur, Ill. plant.

Decatur Fire Department Responds to Explosion

The Decatur Fire Department swiftly responded to a devastating explosion that resulted in numerous injured workers and severe damage to multiple buildings. Upon arriving at the scene, the first engine company encountered debris scattered across a wide area. The fires were raging in a towering 10-story building, with adjacent structures also sustaining significant destruction.

A total of eight workers were injured in the incident. To transport the injured individuals to trauma centers, four Medivac helicopters were deployed for immediate airlift assistance. The fire department received the dispatch call at 7:12 p.m. and managed to bring the situation under control by reducing the number of fire apparatus to one company at approximately 2 a.m. on Monday.

To contain the emergency, a team of 33 firefighters worked diligently throughout the ordeal. Their tireless efforts played a vital role in mitigating the impact and preventing further damage.