A weekend fire in northwest Iowa burned 24-hours before crews could contain it. One grain elevator at the Le Mars Agri-center was destroyed in the blaze that was discovered Saturday night and under control by Sunday night. Le Mars fire chief Wayne Schipper says the fire started in the basement of the tall, block-type grain storage building.The fire loss will include soybeans, meal and other livestock feed ingredients. Chief Schipper says the extent of the damage and the cause of the fire haven’t yet been determined. Homes and businesses around the Agri-center were -not- evacuated. Schipper says farm chemicals at the business were isolated using fire breaks in those buildings. Debris from the fire was still burning last night and is being monitored by firefighters.A spokesman for the elevator says they -will- be doing business today. He says the elevator that was lost contained no grain. It’s a feed mixing facility and contained bulk feed ingredients.
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