Fire in Mountain Grove destroyed warehouse but didn't get to firm's main production area

October 10, 2011|by Linda Russell, KY3 News | lrussell@ky3.com

MOUNTAIN GROVE, Mo. -- A day after flames destroyed a large warehouse at a feed plant, all 150 employees were back to work on Monday. Work continued, however, to put out all the flames -- or to let them burn themselves out -- and to find a cause for the fire.

The fire inside the warehouse for 3G Processing and Grisham Farm Products was discovered around 3 p.m. Sunday. About a dozen employees were working at the time, at the opposite end of the building from where the fire started. The workers got out safely. Before long, the whole warehouse was engulfed.

The warehouse was destroyed, along with all the feed and ingredients inside, plus extra parts and tires for machinery for both businesses. The flames didn't reach into the main production area for 3G processing, which turns breading crumbs from chicken fryers into recyclable oil and an ingredient for chicken feed.

Everyone was told to come to work on Monday, and the owners and employees are thankful that's still possible.

"It's bad, but it could have been a whole lot worse. The 3G plant is still here with some minor damage. We can get it back up and going, and everybody can go back to work," said co-owner Rick Grisham.

"Me and my wife both work here. There's not that many jobs out here, and we're very happy to have a job. We thought we were in big trouble," said employee 3G Ben Choate.

Wiring will have to be redone in the 3G part of the plant, but the owners think that won't take long. The feed mill is in another location, so it's fine. An investigator for the State Fire Marshal's Office is supposed to be here on Tuesday to investigate the cause. Once they get the okay, the Grishams plan to start the cleanup and rebuilding process on the warehouse.

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