Friday, April 24th, 2009
Evacuation due to fire
Photo by Shelley Grieshop/The Daily Standard
Employees of Basic Grain Products in Coldwater gather in the company's parking lot after being evacuated for a fire in the plant on Thursday afternoon. Coldwater Fire Chief Paul Streaker said equipment malfunction likely led to the electrical fire that caused between $50,000-$75,000 in damage - mostly to equipment. A sprinkler system inside the plant doused flames before firefighters arrived, Streaker said. About a dozen firefighters and two trucks were on the scene for about an hour. Firefighters vented the manufacturing area where several pieces of equipment sustained various degrees of damage, he said. Two sprinkler heads melted in the fire, Streaker added. Company officials could not be reached this morning for further information.