11 September 2023 , 12:08
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An explosion ripped through a food processing plant and sent a tower of smoke into the air - leaving at least eight employees injured.
The shocking incident happened on Sunday evening after the explosion occurred shortly after 7pm at the Archer Daniels Midlands plant in the ADM processing complex in Decatur, Illinois.
At least eight employees were injured and transported to a hospital, the agricultural company said in a statement on its website Sunday. The company contacted the Decatur Fire Department but said it did not know the cause of the explosion.
The blast happened at the east plant within the company’s processing complex, the ADM spokesperson said. “ADM immediately contacted the Decatur Fire Department, which remains on the scene. Several employees were injured and transported to the local hospital for treatment,” the spokesperson said. “Our thoughts are with our colleagues. We do not have a confirmed cause at this time.”
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At least eight workers were injured after the explosion ripped through the plant (Facebook)
A tower of smoke was sent into the air on Sunday evening (Facebook)A large plume of dark smoke can be seen shooting high into the air above the facility in a video posted by WCIA-TV. Decatur is located about 40 miles east of Springfield and about 180 miles southeast of Chicago, where ADM is headquartered. More than 4,000 employees work at the plant.
“ADM has been a member of the Decatur, Illinois, community since 1939, when we began construction on what was then the world’s largest solvent extraction plant,” the company’s website says. “Today, Decatur is home to ADM’s North American Headquarters and is the single largest location and employee base across ADM’s global footprint. More than 4,000 colleagues work here in Decatur every day to unlock the power of nature to enrich the quality of life for billions around the world.”
Firefighters quickly rushed to the scene (Facebook)The fire comes just days after multiple homes had to be evacuated after a blaze broke out in Baltimore, Maryland. Video and pictures from the scene showed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the flames that had engulfed the city.
Firefighters rushed to the scene and were able to put out the blaze but the cause is still under investigation by authorities. It remains unclear if anyone was injured in the fire. The fire impacted six homes after starting at one residency and spreading to at least three more.
Baltimore City Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post: "BCFD units on the scene battling a two alarm fire in the 300 block of A. Robinson Street, Southeast Baltimore. "Companies arrived to find heavy fire conditions in the rear of a two-story brick occupied dwelling. The intensity of the fire caused it to rapidly spread encompassing a total of six dwellings. Fortunately, there are no reported injuries and the cause of the fire remains under investigation."