A spontaneous combustion of livestock feed was determined to be the cause of a Monday morning fire that occurred at Frontier Cooperative.
About 7:26 a.m. Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, the Columbus Fire Department was dispatched to Frontier Cooperative, 1854 14th Ave. in Columbus, for a report of smoke in the building.
“Upon arrival smoke was seen exiting a large steel storage building,” Columbus Assistant Fire Chief Nathan Jones said. “Fire crews made a knockdown of the fire but the compactness of the fuel and the large footprint of the building presented unique challenges.”
(ABOUT THE PHOTO: Columbus Fire Department officials on scene Monday morning at Frontier Cooperative in Columbus.)
Jones said the fire was contained to the area of origin with no fire spread to adjacent materials. He noted the large building was full of smoke, which took some time to ventilate out.
The fire was declared under control at 8:19 a.m., but crews were on scene for nearly 90 minutes longer performing overhaul of the materials and ventilation of the building. No injuries were reported.
“The quick knockdown kept the fire at bay, preventing further loss,” Jones said.
Frontier Cooperative Company is a full-service coop providing services in the areas of grain, agronomy, energy and feed, according to the company’s website.