DECATUR, IL – An explosion and subsequent fire at an industrial facility in Decatur, Illinois, resulted in multiple injuries on Sunday, according to local authorities. The incident occurred at Archer Daniel Midland Co.’s East Plant, part of the company’s processing complex, around 7:11 p.m. CDT. The exact number of injured employees remains uncertain.
Witnesses reported heavy smoke billowing from the northeastern part of the city, a sight that was also captured by weather cameras from WCIA-TV. Dane Lisser, a spokesperson for ADM, confirmed that the company had reached out to the Decatur Fire Department following the incident.
Lisser further stated that several employees had been transported to a local hospital for treatment but did not provide any details regarding the severity of their injuries. He expressed the company’s concern for its employees while also noting that the cause of the explosion was yet to be determined.
This is not the first time the ADM plant has experienced such incidents. This year alone, the facility has been the site of two other fires or explosions. In April, an explosion at the company’s West Plant resulted in injuries to three employees. Later, in August, a three-alarm fire at the East Plant injured two firefighters. It took a team of 46 firefighters and 13 hours to fully contain the blaze.