Early morning fire destroys Agri Star Meat & Poultry processing plant in Postville; 20 different area fire departments respond, no injuries reported
Fire that destroys Agri Star Meat & Poultry facility ruled accidental ... A huge cloud of smoke fills the air as the main building of the Agri Star Meat & Poultry processing facility on the west edge of Postville is destroyed by a blaze that was called in at approximately 3:50 a.m. Tuesday, July 28. The fire inside the building rivaled the smoke that poured out of the building, as the blaze consumed an estimated 75% of the processing facility before being fully brought under control. A total of 20 different area fire departments responded to the fire, and a majority of them remained on scene most of the remainder of Tuesday, with Postville and several other more local fire departments returning to the scene several times over the course of the next two days to extinguish flare-up fires, and more than three million gallons of water estimated to be used in fighting the fire. The fire was determined to have started in the laundry area and ruled to be accidental after further investigation that involved fire officials viewing on-site camera footage. Photo courtesy of Terri Downing.
by Sharon Drahn
Contributing Writer
As employees were making their way to work at the Agri Star Meat and Poultry processing plant early last Tuesday morning, July 28, smoke was seen coming from one of the buildings on the Agri Star grounds on the west edge of Postville. A news release from the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Clark Mellick stated that the Allamakee County Dispatch Center received notification of a potential fire at the Postville facility at approximately 3:50 a.m.
The Postville Fire Department was dispatched to the plant and immediately responded to the call at 220 West Street. Upon arrival, it was evident that a major fire was ensuing and appeared to be coming from the laundry room area of the facility. It was later confirmed that the fire did, indeed, start in the laundry room and was deemed accidental in nature after further investigation that included on-site cameras viewed by fire officials.
MUTUAL AID FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES
As the magnitude of the fire was quickly determined, multiple fire departments were called to the scene, totaling 20 in all. Among those departments that fought the blaze alongside Postville were the fire departments from Calmar, Castalia, Clermont, Decorah, Elgin, Farmersburg, Luana, Monona, Oelwein, Ossian, Prairie du Chien, WI, St. Olaf, Waukon, Waterville, Frankville, Fort Atkinson, West Union, Cresco and Elkader. Also present were the Postville, Clermont, and Monona EMS (emergency medical services) crews. The hazmat (hazardous materials) team from Waterloo was also on the scene. The Postville Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol and the Allamakee County and Clayton County Sheriff Departments were also giving assistance at the plant and also directing traffic throughout the city.
Postville Fire Chief Jeff Bohr said, “This mutual aid was outstanding. We were thankful to have the Waterville Department’s drone and the platform trucks from Decorah, Cresco, Oelwein and Prairie. These aerial trucks allowed us to get water above and beyond as we could direct water overhead. The kindness of others means so much to all affected as they go through difficult times.”
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